


The Prince Bride

by AuraWhiteFox



Category: Princess Bride - William Goldman, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Book/Movie Fusion, Gen, I mean really, Kinda, Kinda not, M/M, Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinksi, Peter is creepy, Romantic Comedy, because Derek talking dirty is sexy, little bit of lanugage and dirty talk, really creepy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-10 08:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuraWhiteFox/pseuds/AuraWhiteFox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>True love is something that is hard to come by, for normal people that is. With the news of Derek's death Stiles is heartbroken, numb enough to accept a proposal by King Peter for marriage. But when Stiles is kidnapped by a band of three thieves a year later-days before the wedding- and is rescued/kidnapped by a man dressed in black Stiles's whole world is tossed upside down. Whoever would have known that being kidnapped was the best thing to happen to oneself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince Bride

**Author's Note:**

> I want to give a big shout out to my cheerleader and beta BloodRage! Thank you so much for your hard work and for kicking me in the head repeatedly to get this finished! Also to Mific, who pinched-hit for me at the last second and yet gave such talented and wonderful art that I'm speechless with happiness every time I look at them. You can go and see for yourself how awesome this artist is. http://archiveofourown.org/works/783344
> 
> Please go check it out, although if you don't want any spoilers (kinda) then I suggest you read the story first. Cheers everyone to a great time at TeenWolf crossover Big Bang!!!

Stiles wasn’t what one would call rich or spoiled or princely. He grew up on a small farm in the middle of nowhere, well away from the hustle and bustle of city life, although he liked to walk to the nearest town for errands when he got old enough.

Despite not living in the hip world of fast moving horses and pubs, he loved helping out on his father’s farm, and by helping, he meant ordering around the hired help.

It was his one great, truest pleasure in life that he spoiled himself on, and while he liked to think that he had enough charisma and dashingly good looks that the help did his bidding because they knew no greater pleasure…well, reality was a bit different. 

He knew that the only reason the help really followed his commands was because they knew that they truly didn’t have too. In fact he had the sneaky suspicion that they found it kind of funny when he bossed them around. His father’s snickering kind of gave it away, along with the amused looks.

Well, all expect one. There was one man called Derek who followed his orders, but never laughed or tried to hide a snicker. In fact, Stiles was hard pressed to say that the man never smiled at all. At east not in his presence, which was probably why Stiles liked to bother him so much.

He just wanted the broody man to smile at him, just once.

“Farm boy.” Stiles called out as he walked down the pathway towards the horse shed, “saddle up my horse!”

He liked to call his mighty steed a horse, even if it wasn’t much more then a pony.

“Shut up, idiot.” Derek grunted as he put down a large sack of seed for the animals. Stiles sent the man a disgruntled look; though Derek’s back was turned, so it was  
kind of wasted.

Derek had been working on the farm for six years now, he’d wandered a bit before that, or at least that’s what Stiles managed to wrangle out of his father when he pestered him about it. Derek never talked about his past and anyone who tried to steer the conversation to that particular topic got a rather heated and scary glare. It took maybe twelve stilted conversations for Stiles to get the hint.

It wasn’t just that the man was overly handsome, because he was, he was also a total sourpuss and had terrible manners. But there was just something about him that Stiles couldn’t help but like. It was the way that he liked to get up at the ass crack of dawn to watch the sun rise over the many hills and was gentle with the animals on the farm, he helped birth many a spring lamb and pig, and for some reason, the piglets took a great shine to him and liked to follow him around whenever he was in their pen.

It was adorable, especially since he scolded anyone who laughed or snickered at him whenever they did that, though it didn’t stop him from petting them.

Shut up, idiot. That the most Derek said to him. Sure he said other things, but that was the one sentence that Derek liked to say the most. 

An insult and command rolled all in one, and Stiles seethed every time he heard it, mostly because it sent his heart fluttering. It was like Derek couldn’t be bothered to say anything else to him, like Stiles wasn’t worth his time to actually have a pleasant and meaningful conversation with.

Because no matter what Stiles asked of him…well, more like ordered him, Derek never failed to tell him to shut up, while also calling him an idiot. Despite this, he always went to do what Stiles told him to, something that both thrilled him and yet annoyed him at every turn.

He was just so unpleasantly commendable. Stiles would rather the man actually argue with him then follow Stiles’ orders. Stiles knew that there were some commands and requests that Derek actually found stupid and not worth his time, but he still did it. 

Every. Single. Time.

“Faaarm boy!” Stiles whined out, louder this time while Derek took his sweet time puttering around. Stiles decided not to acknowledge that the moment he’d asked  
Derek to saddle up the pony the man had already gone over to check Stiles’ bridle and saddle. They weren’t quiet up to standard, but Stiles didn’t feel like waiting, he wanted to ride around the hills right now. The air was crisp and nice and the sun wasn’t so unpleasantly hot right now and Stiles wanted to enjoy it while he could before the day grew too hot.

So Stiles stood there, sulking unattractively as Derek rolled his eyes and did his biding, but not before wiping a rag over the saddle in a half-assed attempt to clean the dust that had accumulated on it since the last time Stiles had ridden.

“Here, don’t fall off or get lost.” Derek grumbled and shoved the reins into Stiles’ hands when he finally finished. In reality, it had only been ten minutes, but Stiles had always been an impatient person. Derek’s eyes almost seemed to burn a rich blue as he stared down at him and Stiles just stared right back up. He could feel his heart begin to beat faster and he just knew that his face was reddening into a horrible blush. Derek just stared at him intently, as if trying to push his warnings deep in Stiles brain so he wouldn’t disobey them.

The pony snorted loudly, breaking whatever spell that had overcome them, Stiles wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn that Derek’s face had also tinted red by this point.

“Hey wait!” Stiles shouted as he watched Derek stomp off, clearly done with whatever had just happened to them.

Well unfortunately for him, Stiles wanted many more moments like that, especially if they got Derek of all people blushing.

 

\--

 

Stiles paced back and forth in the small cabin his father and a few other members of their small farm had gifted to him when he had reached adulthood a few months ago. His father had just smiled and winked at him, telling him it would help with learning how to live on his own, although the wink had implied something else that frankly horrified Stiles. He knew his father knew that he had some sort of feelings for Derek and for his own father to insinuate that he needed somewhere private in order too—no, just no.

But he digressed; today he was finally going to do something about the weird and arousing tension between him and Derek. This be his day, the day that could very well be the end of all days. The very day where he’d either get everything that he could ever want or need, or the day where he hung himself from the rafters in embarrassment and heartbreak.

“Okay Stiles, you can do this,” he murmured to himself, “just tell him the truth. You can do this, the only thing that he could really do to you is tell you that he isn’t interested and that you’ve imagined all the eye fucking and unresolved sexual tension.”

Before Stiles could ring himself into more of a panic he heard loud knocking from his front door.

“Okay, he’s here, show time. Remember, take deeep breaths and talk calmly.” Stiles’ steeled himself before he walked to the door and opened it.

“You asked for me?” Derek asked. He didn’t seem to be in much of a temper which was good. He pushed past Stiles to enter the room, not really putting pressure on him but instead brushing past him with bodily intent.

Stiles had to try really hard not to visibly shudder, both in pleasure and a little fear. But he was pretty sure that he had that in common with everyone who had ever crossed Derek’s path so he didn’t feel belittled whenever he accidently touched the man.

“Well?” Derek appeared to be getting impatient now.

“Umm…” Stiles said dumbly before a glare from Derek brought him back to a managed level of speechery.

Any plans or ideas that Stiles had to confront Derek with had fled his mind and try as he might he couldn’t remember a single thing. He had to improvise now and, knowing his mouth and it’s long history of getting him in trouble, he could only see this ending really badly.

“Can you pick that up for me?” Stiles pointed to a rather large vase filled with water on the table a few feet away from him. He didn’t know why he asked that, it was completely moronic and he would love nothing more then to dump his head in that vase of water and drown himself the moment the request had left his lips.

Derek stared at the vase then at him, then back again to the vase. His eyebrows were literally dancing up his forehead. Clearly Derek speech for ‘what the hell are you going about now?’

“Please?” Stiles asked again, fidgeting pretty badly now, so much so that he had to hold his own hands in a tight grip to keep from waving them around like some crazy person. He was screwing this up, but he didn’t know how to fix it so he just continued with the trail of a half-ass request for now. At least until something resembling an actual plan took form in his head.

Derek didn’t say anything, but Stiles watched as he slowly walked to the table and picked up the heavy vase with ease then turn towards him, his eyebrows were once again speaking for him, clearly asking ‘now what?’

“Oh my god, you really do everything I ask!” Stiles blurted out as he stared down at the vase then back at Derek’s face. Disbelief clear in his voice, he hadn’t really believed that Derek would actually do as he asked, because while some of the requests he’d given the man in the past had been kind of stupid, they at least all had a point. Derek had to know that this request had no real substance and he really had no need to pick up the stupid vase because Stiles had no idea what to do with it either.

Because he was watching Derek he actually got to see Derek’s face flush red and his eyes flashed an electric blue, a very unnatural and very beautiful phenomena. He looked like he was two seconds away from totally throwing the vase against a wall and running off, again.

Well not this time. Stiles wasn’t about to let his non-brain-to-mouth-filter get in the way from him getting what he’s been basically dreaming about the moment he’d hit puberty and noticed that the pretty farm man was actually very tone and had muscles from the gods.

“Wait, I didn’t mean to say that! I just…okay here’s the thing. I’m kind of in love with you and I really don’t know why you follow my commands, but I figured that they’ve got to mean something or maybe-oh gods were you just patronizing me?! Shit. Don’t kill me right now, but I’ve wanted to kiss you since forever and I—I’m going to shut up now.” Stiles babbled and he wanted nothing more than to just sew his mouth shut. No wonder Derek always told him to shut up, he never knew when to just stop and Derek most likely hated him now. Great, good going Stiles.

Derek stared at him for a moment more, as if waiting to make sure that Stiles was done word vomiting, before he finally moved. Towards Stiles. The vase still in his hands. 

Stiles had to wonder absently as he began to panic if Derek was going to actually kill him with the piece of pottery. Which seriously, what a way to depart this world. Killed by large vase filled with water. At least he’d die clean.

Stiles stumbled backwards out of range, just in case. “Hey now-!”

He didn’t get far, not before Derek was standing right in front of him, his face set in an indescribable expression. His eyebrows weren’t moving, so Stiles really couldn’t figure out his mood or what he was going to do. Stiles was well versed in Derek’s eyebrow speak, so not being able to get a read on him was kind of distressing.

“Derek…” Stiles questioned cautiously.

Derek didn’t respond, well not verbally at least.

Stiles squealed a little at the unexpected, although not unwelcome, kiss.

“Ooh my god!” Stiles moaned out and swallowed the chuckle that came from Derek.

Derek. Was. Chuckling.

Holy god maybe he had died.

Stiles must have gone to his own personal heaven because Mr. Sourman himself was chuckling…and kissing him. Passionately, and with lots of tongue and spit  
and…oh yea.

They only broke the kiss when breathing became a problem, and even then Stiles couldn’t help the whine that crept out of his throat at having to separate from Derek’s lips.

Stiles’ face felt like it was trying to burn like the sun, but that didn’t stop him from taking great pleasure in seeing Derek’s face flushed a very nice shade of rose.

If Stiles had to describe Derek he would have quickly gone with hot, sexy, broody, gods sent, numb-licking piece of ass, but never before had he thought of the man as adorably cute.

Well…he was trying new things today so he felt justified that he could add adorably cute to Derek’s description.

Not that he was going to tell the muscular man about that, he liked the kissing and he had no doubt that the man would hold back if Stiles actually told him that he was cute when he blushed.

“Sooo I’m going to take a wild guess here and say that you telling me to shut up all the time was actually code for, you are deeply in love with me?” Stiles asked, breathlessly but with hope shinning in his eyes.

Derek rolled his eyes but he did bend in closely to whisper against Stiles’ lips, before once again claiming Stiles’ mouth for his own.

“Shut up. Idiot.”

 

\--

 

“Why do you have to go?!” Stiles demanded, his eyes felt glassy and he knew that his cheeks were covered in wet and dried tear marks.

He hadn’t wanted to cry, he had told himself that he wouldn’t and if he did then he at least wasn’t going to cry in front of Derek.

He’d broken both of those vows to himself in barely a ten minute span.

It had only been a month since Stiles and Derek had finally confronted their feelings for each other and it had been great, they hadn’t really gone any father then kissing though and Stiles had gotten a bit insecure about that before Derek sought fit to reassure him.

He wanted to wait until marriage. Despite being older then Stiles by a few years Derek had never taken a lover before, so he wanted their first time to be extra special.

Stiles may or may not have melted into a puddle of goo at this heartfelt confession and proceeded to kiss every inch of Derek’s face in butterfly kisses.

Seriously, Stiles had no idea how Derek got all that out without blushing; if Stiles had said anything like that he would have at the very least stuttered. 

Derek was also being a lot more open with Stiles nowadays. Everyone on the farm somehow figured out about them and the both of them got congratulations and lectures from the others. Stiles’ father had especially pulled Derek to the side to lay it in him not to break Stiles’ heart or he’d come after him with a pitchfork and cleaver knife.

Derek and actually come away from that speech smiling. Stiles had been gawking at that, but his father looked reassured so Stiles liked to think of it as a win.

“Stiles.” Derek said, his eyes also bright with tears but unlike Stiles he didn’t allow them to fall. “If we are to be wed then I need to prove to your father that I can take care of you.”

“And leaving me for who knows how long while you travel the goddamn world in search of fortune is suppose to prove that?! I call bullshit!” Stiles yelled. “And you know that dad already approves of you. Seriously we can figure something out, maybe dad’ll loan us some pigs and we can build a cabin a couple miles away and start our own little farm, doesn’t that sound nice?” Stiles tried to reason, a new wave of fresh tears coming out of his eyes.

He knew though that it was a lost cause. Once Derek got an idea in his head it was very hard to stop him, just like how he wanted to wait until after the wedding for anything that involved them being unclothed, and Stiles had been trying his hardest to seduce the poor guy. Derek may have had more cause for a case of blue balls then even Stiles with how often Stiles throws himself at him.

“Stiles…”

He couldn’t refuse Derek anything, even before that fateful day, so while it broke Stiles heart to see his boyfriend off he knew that he couldn’t deny Derek the chance to prove himself. Derek’s pride was fierce as well as his ego, so Stiles would stop asking him to stay. Stiles wouldn’t stop him…he loved the damn man too much, even if that meant letting him go.

“Promise me this.” Stiles asked, wiping his eyes and leaning into an embrace that had him relaxing despite the situation.

Derek’s arms squeezed him non to gently in response but Stiles didn’t mind. He liked the thought of his skin having evidence of Derek’s hands on him, so small bruises? Yea, they were a thing.

“Anything.” Derek spoke, his voice just beginning to crack. His mask of calm and collected was beginning to fall and even if this whole leaving thing was his idea, Stiles knew that it was just as hard for Derek as it was for him for them to part.

Stiles closed his eyes and breathed in his love’s scent, trying to memorize it for the lonely years to come.

“Promise me that you’ll come back for me, not matter what happens you will find your way back to me. Even if you don’t have a fortune, just come home before too much time has past.”

Derek leaned back so that he could gaze into Stiles’ face, his usual scowl absent. Instead an expression of absolute love filled his face. His eyes were softened with love and his cheeks crinkled in smiley lines that brought out a natural beauty to him that left Stiles breathless.

It was a good look for him.

“Stiles, I promise you I will return to you. No one or any thing could keep me from coming back. I will return and we’ll be wedded and I will never, ever leave you again.” Derek promised, his eyes burning blue, like he was sealing the promise in an otherworldly way.

“Also, bring me some souvenirs as well.” Stiles joked weakly.

“Shut up.” Derek said fondly and Stiles leaned upwards to kiss those lips as hard as he could, he didn’t care that their teeth clashed or their noses bumped against each other harshly because Derek kissed back just as hard. It got kind of filthy for a moment and Stiles wished that Derek would stop being so noble and just fuck him, but no- Derek wanted to wait until they were married so now Stiles had to deal with being a virgin for years.  
Years.

Stiles’ only consolation was that Derek would also be going without sex for a long time as well, so they would both be suffering a case of massive blue balls until the honeymoon faze, which should be at least five years long just to make up for all the missed sexy times.

“I love you, my beautiful, sour farm man.” Stiles whispered against Derek’s lips, feeling the echo of a whisper back.

“I love you, my wonderful, gorgeous, clumsy boy.”

 

\--

 

“You’re lying.” Stiles accused, his voice hard and full of venom as he glared at the pompous ass in front of him.

“I can assure you that I am not.” The arrogant sod spoke back, his voice was actually filled with boredom as he stood there and calmly broke Stiles’ heart into what felt like a million pieces, and then proceeded to basically stomp on the pieces until there was nothing left but ash.

“Well you are and I can tell you why.” Stiles took a deep breath and locked down on all the tears, all the emotions that wanted to spill out the moment the man had come to his door step. It was shockingly both easier and harder then he had thought it would be considering what news the guy had sought fit to give him.

“I’ll tell you why.” Stiles repeated, “Because there is no way that the ship that my boyfriend was on could have gone down. I don’t care how it happened, be it weather or sea monster. There is no way that ship and all its passengers are lost. Dead. No fucking way.”

The man, possibly some nobleman, scoffed. “It was pirates actually. You may have heard of him, the Dreaded Pirate Matt, news of the man’s exploits of murder and mayhem must have reached even your ears.”

Stiles’ breath whooshed out in one fell swoop, it felt like all his energy and soul left with it. Because he had heard about this particular pirate, he was quite famous for leaving no witnesses whenever he and his crew of murderous and cutthroats attacked traveling ships in the deep waters.

Derek…his sour farm man had been on a ship and according to his man that ship had been attacked

No survivors.

Since Derek’s departure six months ago Stiles had gotten three letters from his love, it had been hard on Stiles who before hadn’t gone a day without some contact with the sour faced man,but he consoled himself that it would only be a little while longer until Derek returned and they would finally be married, to live as lovers and husbands.

The letters weren’t long but since Stiles was under no illusions that Derek was a chatty person, his didn’t bother him. He could read between the lines well enough and he got all the feelings that Derek was having, that he enjoyed the sea, but missed the farm, that he disliked the crew but found that the tan he had gotten made him look really good, that he missed Stiles more then a fish out of water missed water. Stiles knew it all and he treasured every word that Derek did write down.

What little he did write was filled with life on the sea, but the majority of the letter was all about Stiles.

Mostly Derek wrote down questions, even if he wouldn’t get the answers to those questions until he came home, he continued to ask. Things like how Stiles’ day was going, and how the chores along the farm were progressing and if Stiles had learned to tackle his own horse by now.

Stiles always laughed because he knew that Derek was just teasing him, mostly, although that crack about the horse actually made Stiles fume for half a day before he conceded that he still hadn’t actually learned how to saddle the darn pony yet, one of his father’s friends usually did it for him since Derek wasn’t here to help out.

It warmed him to read those questions because even though he knew that Derek trusted and loved him, he couldn’t help worrying about Stiles.

Although that didn’t stop Stiles from worrying about Derek, more specifically someone else snatching up Derek since Stiles wasn’t there to ward off would be suitors.

What if Derek met someone on his travels, someone who was witty and beautiful and more importantly- a woman?

It would keep Stiles awake at nights sometimes, he had so many terrible scenarios in his head that Derek would meet- or more likely rescue- a maiden of great beauty and smarts, and Derek would decide that he was better off staying gone then coming back to this pig farm to pick up a boy that was a complete spaz at the best of times and would undoubtedly annoy him at least 80 percent of the time.

But as each letter arrived Stiles’ heart grew more sure that he was still on Derek’s mind, that Derek was thinking about him and only him- that his love for Stiles just grew deeper as more time passed and while he knew that he loved Derek, it wasn’t until after the first letter arrived that Stiles realized that he couldn’t live in a world without Derek.

He didn’t want too.

And now it looked like he wasn’t being given a choice in the matter.

Stiles swallowed harshly and squeezed his eyes tightly. He visualized Derek, with his dark hair and blue eyes and stubbly, handsome face- Stiles let out one small but devastating sob before getting a hold of himself. He could mourn in private later. 

Right now he needed to deal with the man who still stood in front of him, looking down at him with predatory eyes and a dark gleam in his smile.

 

\--

 

Stiles learned many things that day.

He learned that the name of the bringer of the devastating news was Peter and he was actually the Prince of the Kingdom. He also learned that Peter was looking for a…bride and had heard through rumors and gossip about Stiles’ beauty and cunning, so he’d sought the lands for him until he found him.

The rumors had mostly come from drunkards and was overly exaggerated but nevertheless, everyone agreed that what was said was the truth.

Another thing he learned was that Peter had come to Stiles’ cottage to ask for his hand in marriage and while he had been looking for him and listening to the drunkards he had come to learn about the death of Derek who Peter heard had Stiles’ heart. So Peter only thought it right that he would be the one to tell his future bride about the death of his former boyfriend, to pave the way so to speak.

Stiles wasn’t stupid or an airhead looking for a cushy life of wealth and privilege. He could figure out that Peter, although charming when he wanted or needed to be, had wanted to make sure that he was there in Stiles’ moment of weakness and mourning, so that there wouldn’t be any objections from Stiles’ family and friends when he offered Stiles his hand in marriage in this devastating time. It was cruel and manipulative and Stiles felt like there were more darker plans running around 

Peter’s pretty head. Plans that might not end well for Stiles if they were to fall through.

Stiles knew this, and he didn’t care.

His heart felt dead, his soul was in pieces and he didn’t give a rat’s ass about what happened to him anymore, since Derek was…Derek was-

So Peter wanted to marry him? Fine, he told the Prince upfront that he would never love him, that he wouldn’t be a good husband for him because he would rather die then continue to live anymore.

Peter just laughed and said that Stiles would learn to love him in time and he shouldn’t be overly dramatic with the death wishes.

Stiles seriously doubted that he could ever learn to love such a spoiled asshole, and he really wanted to punch the guy in the face the moment he told Stiles he was being overly dramatic.

Stiles thought he wasn’t being dramatic enough! If Peter wanted dramatic then he should be wary of his pretty clothing in the case they found themselves in a pig pen, while the pigs discovered their new home, Peter’s bedroom.

So- that was it then, Derek was gone- dead, and Stiles may have well died along with him because he sure wasn’t among the land of the living anymore.

It looks like true love really was a bullshit idea and the thing that pissed off Stiles the most whenever he could suffer enough to feel more then a glimpse of sorrow?  
Was the fact that Derek had broken his promise to him. For the first and last time.

\--

 

One year later~

 

“My people!” Prince Peter smiled charmingly down at the peasants that mingled around the courtyard. As soon as he spoke they all cheered and clapped, very on cue like.

“I have great news to share. As I’m sure you all know, my year long engagement is finally coming to an end. Since then, you’ve all gotten to know my fiancé, he, who was a lowly peasant much like yourselves, but whose beauty and kindness is no doubt unmatched in the land. He has risen above all others and won the hearts of many the people. So today I would like to officially make an announcement. Without further ado may I introduce my lovely bride to be- Prince Stiles!”

The shouting actually got even louder then the cheer that had been for the King, something that no doubt pissed him off silently. This time the cheers felt much more real and the smiles on the faces of the people more lively then the polite and fake-awe that had been on there previously.

Newly crowned Prince Stiles walked out a small door onto a stage, his clothing made of the finest silk and cloth, the colors a mixture of gold and white. He smiled blandly at the crowd around him and gave a small wave.

He didn’t speak.

Peter raised his hands and the noise died almost instantly. He smirked down at Stiles but Stiles just stared ahead, not even bothering to look at him. Peter frowned for a second but just as quickly as it appeared it vanished once again and a bright smile took its place.

“The wedding will be take place three days from now. I’m sure you are all as excited as I am for this special occasion.”

Peter droned on for a while more but no one was really paying him any mind, most eyes were on the other prince.

Stiles had changed in the year that he’d been engaged to Prince Peter.

His skin had paled remarkably, almost a milky white color. This had happened because he preferred to stay inside the palace most days instead of going outside like he had done on the farm and his healthy tan was long gone. His eyes, which used to sparke a warm brown had dulled until the color was more a dark shade of chocolate then the gold it had been.

He had also grown out his hair, where once he had kept it shorn down, he had instead allowed it to grow out until it was almost an unmanageable mess on top of his head. He was uncaring about appearances much nowadays so he didn’t really bother to groom it either, some of the more cheeky servants told him it looked like he had permanent sex hair. He didn’t really find this funny at all and would usually dismiss the servants who said such things until they got the hint and stopped teasing him altogether.

So he hadn’t counted on how beautiful it made him, the brown of his hair, once grown out, was actually multiple shades of the color, he had natural highlights of brown and blond and with it grown out some he could even run his hair through it. Something that was apparently really sexy if the sighs and coos he got from the women and men around him was any indication.

He ignored it, all of it.

After the stupid ceremony Stiles was hipped up enough that he decided that he’d go out for a ride, for the first time in a long while, he hated to feel restless and if he didn’t find a good outlet then he’d be up all night thinking about things he’d rather not think about. Namely what his life had been like before he’d moved into the castle and how much he ached to go back to those times with his dad and the farm and Der-

Anyway he hated most of his emotions nowadays, they were usually dark and ugly so he would try to suppress them most of the time, he couldn’t allow to fall into a pit of nothingness, but neither could he feel any happiness either because it felt like a betrayal, to feel when his boyfriend couldn’t feel anything any longer. And it wasn’t like he had much to be happy about nowadays anyway, but he didn’t allow himself to mourn. All it did was make him cry for days on end and Peter had to order the servants to take anything sharp from his room and make sure that he was never alone, it was stupid and he hated it so he stopped thinking and feeling. It made things marginally easier on everyone.

Whenever it did get bad, he would tell himself that he was already dead and that his body just hadn’t yet decided to follow his sprit to the afterlife. Besides corpses couldn’t feel emotions so why should he?

Stiles saddled up his favorite horse, he would never allow the stable hands to help him whenever the urge to ride overcame him. No one was allowed to help him with his one chore, it had meant something special when Derek had done it and now only Stiles would do it, hating the very idea of anyone else doing it for him. It actually hadn’t been that hard to learn but that hadn’t really been the reason why Stiles had never saddled his pony back home, he’d liked that Derek had done it for him.

It didn’t take long before the castle was out of sight, the few guards that had been trailing him ambled off the path and must have gone back to the castle, believing the prince would be alright since he was still in Peter’s Kingdom. No one was stupid enough to cross the man, although Stiles wished that someone out there would stand up to the man. Sadly Stiles didn’t really feel that brave, it wouldn’t really change anything and he’d rather not be thrown into the dungeons anytime soon.  
Stiles sighed and tilted his head back, the sun was shinning and the skies were blue, a bright beautiful blue.

Stiles scowled and swore as his mind drifted into unwanted waters. Before he could turn back around to go sulk in his room a woman walked out of the woods a small ways in front of him. Stiles slowed the horse down from its trot and stopped in front of her.

“Excuse me sir?” She simpered. Actually simpered. Stiles didn’t even realize that anyone could actually do that. It wasn’t actually attractive but Stiles really didn’t have the heart to tell her that.

Stiles’ leaned forward so that it didn’t look like he was totally looking down at her. “Are you alright madam?”

“I’m actually a little lost, you see I’m looking for the nearest town, you wouldn’t happen to know where that is do you?” She asked, her voice all soft and pleading.

She was pretty, not that Stiles could really appreciate it like a pretty lady deserved, cause you know- he liked cock, not that boobs weren’t cool, because even being gay doesn’t mean that he didn’t think boobs are awesome, kind of like how he thinks dragons are awesome but he’d rather not get close to one if you know what I mean. He was sure that many men had fallen for this lady’s charm and face, not to mention her…assets. Her blonde hair flowed down her back and her face was caked with the colored paint that women seemed to favor nowadays, not to mention that her dress…well that was actually a bit off. It looked like it was made out of black leather actually. Not something that you see on a typical girl around here.

Maybe she was foreign?

“Um, well the castle and surrounding town are just behind me, I can show you if you like?” Stiles offered, since he was going back anyway and he liked to be polite, as long as she didn’t think he was hitting on her or anything.

She suddenly smiled and it wasn’t a very pleasant one.

“I would like nothing better. My name’s Erica. Yours, kind sir?”

Stiles leaned back, suddenly very unsure about her and wanting to leave as soon as possible, that smile was sinister and promised nothing but bad things for him if he stayed in her company, except it would be very ungentlemanly for him to just flee the scene and despite everything Stiles hated leaving anyone in trouble, even if he was beginning to suspect that the person in front of him wasn’t actually in trouble and instead it was him that was in trouble.

“Stiles.” He offered, because he was polite, damn it!

“Oooh, Prince Stiles.” It wasn’t a question.

Before Stiles could say anything else a sudden and bursting pain bloomed from the back of his head. As he blacked out the last thing he saw before he went under was Erica with a dark smirk on her face.

 

\--

 

When Stiles came too he knew that he was in trouble and not the he’d got caught putting horse dung in Peter’s clothing closet kind of trouble.

Although that was pretty bad and stiles had honestly thought he was going to be hung for that, luckily Peter decided that Stiles punishment for that was to wear less elegant clothing. Which Stiles actually counted as a win in his books since he hated the stuffy clothing the man usually made him wear, so being ordered to wear plain tunics had been a blessing.

No, the trouble wasn’t like that. This time, Stiles was in honest trouble, like he might have been kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery or something trouble.

His hands were tied tightly in front of him, something he was grateful for since he knew his arms would be killing him right now if they’d been tied behind his back. His head was throbbing something horrible and he could feel dried blood sticking in his hair and the back of his neck, no doubt from the hard blow to the back of his skull earlier.

For a few precious seconds he thought that the gentle swaying was because he had a concussion, but once he raised his head to look around he realized differently.

He was on a small boat, in the middle of an ocean, alone with his kidnappers, three of them by the look of it.

Mother of all-!

Stiles glared at Erica who was grinning smugly down at him, it wasn’t a good look on her. Hapless woman his ass. He swore under his breath and judging by the slightly dimming of her smile he was sure she could hear at least some of what he was saying about her, mostly it involved her ugly mug and poor choice of clothing.

He looked away from her when she started to sneer in his direction, her eyes narrowing and the knife that she’d been holding loosely in her hands suddenly had a tighter grip. She was giving him chills now, so he decided to look at his other two captors.

The one standing by the rail was a lean man with wild blond curls. He had a sword strapped to his side that looked very elegant and yet very deadly and was staring off onto the horizon. Actually he looked kind of bored with this, which Stiles kindly decided not to take offense at. Maybe the man kidnapped people all the time? If so, then Stiles could understand why it would get boring after a while, but since this was Stiles first time being kidnapped he felt he was allowed not to be bored and in fact allowed to be slightly panicked instead.

Stiles turned his attention to the other man, who was by far the largest of all three, Stiles had to tilt his head back to get the full scope of him since he was that tall, he was darker skinned then the other two, his head was shaved and he had a very solemn air about him, at the moment he was doing something for the ship, or at least that’s what Stiles assumed since he was pulling on some rope and knotting it to the rails, he must have been in charge of the ship since it was clear the other two weren’t going to do anything but stare at him or the horizon.

Stiles was starting to wish that Erica would take the other guy’s lead and look out onto the ocean because she was still staring at him and he was really starting to freak out about that. She was looking at him like he was a piece of meat and she was going to devour him, in a decidedly not so nice way. 

“Don’t even think about any escape attempts. Or think that there will be any rescue coming for you.” Erica suddenly spoke, it seemed she’d gotten tired of just staring at him, goody. “We left no trace of you or ourselves and we will be long gone before your dear prince and his stupid little knights even realize you’re gone.”

“And where will we be going?” Stiles asked, because hey, she was monologuing and everyone knows that when the bad guys start to monologue they told you way more then they should.

“To the neighboring south kingdom, there is a reward for your capture and execution, or so I heard.” She shrugged but it was said just a little too gleefully. Clearly this woman had issues, serious ones.

Suddenly the guy with the sword spoke, cutting through Erica’s glee like a sharp knife.

“Erica, are you absolutely sure that no one will be coming after him?”

Erica was unimpressed with her companion judging by the scowl she sent him, she clearly didn’t like to be interrupted when she was acting like a classic villain and having her moment of triumph.

“Of course I’m sure! We’re sailing along the forbidden waters; no one is stupid enough to actually take this route. Besides, Prince Peter had several council meetings today, he won’t know his dear little bride is missing till later tonight when he realizes his toy is missing from his bed.” The last bit was said with an over exaggerated leer.

Now Stiles had a few choice words against that, one: He wasn’t sleeping with Peter, he was still a goddamn virgin for god’s sake! Two: Erica was a real bitch and he really wanted to smack her, girl or no. Three: How the fuck did she know about Peter’s meetings? Stiles hadn’t even known about them until she’d spoken about them. Something was extra wrong with this picture. Other then the fact he was being kidnapped of course. 

The dark skinned man spoke as well, his voice was lighter then Stiles would have thought it to be, like it should have been as deep as he was tall or something.

“Isaac wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t think that he had a valid reason for asking Erica, you know this.”

“Shut the hell up Boyd!” Erica spat, she really didn’t like being corrected or having her leadership questioned.

Boyd just shook his head and went back to sailing the ship, done with the conversation. There was silence for about another five minutes before Erica finally broke it, her face was twisted in a disgruntled look, like she clearly didn’t want to ask but the rational part of her made her anyway.

“Why do you ask Isaac?” She spat out spitefully.

“Oh, because of the ship that is clearly trailing behind us.” Isaac said calmly.

“What?!” Erica shrieked out, she leaped up and turned to look in the direction that Isaac had been staring towards. Stiles twisted around until his head was level with the rail so he could see as well.

It was just as Isaac said, following behind them was a small sailing vessel. It was far away enough that you couldn’t see how many were on board the smaller vessel, but still close enough that it would be difficult to escape its trail.

“That’s impossible!” Erica growled, “It’s probably just some stupid fisherman or something!”

Isaac shrugged and shared a look with Boyd, they’d learned long ago how to deal with Erica over the many years, so they just agreed along with her even if they didn’t believe it. “If that’s what you want to believe then that’s fine with me.”

“You little shit!” She glared at him, “What the hell did I hire you for anyway? You’re completely useless.”

“You hired me because of my skills with a sword, not for a sparkling conversation.”

Boyd chuckled and Erica whirled around to verbally attack him next.

“And you! Why are you even talking?! I hired you for your muscles not your voice! Keep quiet and do your job you brute!”

Now while Stiles really didn’t care too much about what was going to happen to him he was getting sick of the company, well Isaac and Boyd seemed alright but Erica the goddamn harpy was giving him a headache.

So Stiles did something that probably wasn’t the smartest thing he could have done under the circumstances, although to be fair, he might really have a concussion and any judgment calls that he made this day couldn’t really be called into question considering his injury and mental trauma.

He leaned upward enough so that he fell over the side of the ship in a spectacular display of panicky limbs into the cold and choppy waters below.

He sputtered as the salt water stung his aching head, it really hurt, but it was a kind of dull hurt that he could ignore. He could vaguely hear Erica yell and order the others to grab him out of the water before he got too far away. He could hear Isaac saying that he didn’t swim and that Boyd didn’t want to get his feet wet and only doggy paddled anyway and clearly Erica wasn’t going to come into the nasty water after him.

For a second Stiles honestly thought he’d gotten away, he didn’t have any grand plan about what was going to happen after he’d gotten into the water, but that all seemed redundant because as something brushed against the bottom of his feet he shrieked as the sudden knowledge that he wasn’t alone in the water as much as he thought.

He could hear Erica’s haughty laugh much clearer now, they must have steered the boat towards his bobbing head. “Oh, felt that did you? That’s just one of the sharks that infest these waters, well, it could also have been one of the dangerously electric and carnivorous eels that likes to trail after them. Both species like to feast on each other but I’m sure that they’d like a little tasty treat like you.” She laughed darkly, “If you’re lucky, they might even fight for you, giving you enough time for it to really sink in that your fish food.”

Stiles could see them now, Erica wasn’t just bluffing, the waters really were infested. The beasts were actually circling him, huge ass fins were gliding through the waters and he didn’t want to think of what was below him. How many were down there staring up at his flaring feet, just begging to be torn apart. Now while he didn’t really care if he lived or died nowadays, he’d rather not be eaten by scary ass fish.

Derek would no doubt laugh himself sick as soon as he saw him in the after life, not to mention Stiles didn’t want to give Erica the satisfaction of his death. Call him petty, but he really didn’t like her and he’d rather be contrary to her wishes. So if that meant living then so be it.

He looked in the direction of the boat where his kidnappers were, it was actually sailing really close now and he could reach it with only one or two strokes of his hands, if he wanted.

And at this point he really wanted to, but he really couldn’t do it considering his hands were still tied in front of him, making it really hard to swim and his legs were burning now from keeping him afloat. He really wished he’d had the brains to think this all the way through before he flung himself over the rails. This wasn’t a good plan and it was kind of embarrassing now. Well, it would be if he wasn’t about to be torn to shreds and eaten by overgrown fish.

He looked towards the other boat that was still following them, it was still too far away to offer any assistance, but that was kind of okay since Stiles wasn’t sure he wanted the assistance of whoever was on that boat, they could be even worse then his current kidnappers, although when one considered Erica, it was highly unlikely that they could be even more unpleasant. Unless it was Peter.

Stiles’ could feel something brush passed him again, this time it felt bigger and more forceful and he couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped his lips. He was scared, he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

He really wanted to get back on that damn boat, Erica’s smug face be damned.

Mind made up Stiles leaned in the direction of his captor’s boat and tried to swim back to them. It was hard going and all his moving around like a dying bird just made himself a bigger, more tantalizing target.

The cut on his head had also started to bleed again, which just painted a bigger bulls-eye on his tender limbs, since it churned the water for the carnivores. 

Erica was still laughing cruelly at Stiles’ predicament but Stiles noticed that Boyd was leaning over the rail reaching out for him and Isaac was standing straighter and was staring intently at the waters that surrounded Stiles. He was also taking this seriously as his sword was half drawn. Stiles didn’t know what Isaac thought he could do in this situation with a sword when the opponent was in water, but it made Stiles feel grateful regardless.

Stiles made the mistake of looking behind him as he was finally in arms reach of Boyd, he couldn’t help it, and he really wished he could have curbed his curiosity because what he saw made him feel faint.

A mega ton shark with hundreds, possibly thousands of sharp, pointy teeth, was swimming about a foot away from him. Its mouth was wide open and it was bearing down on him, ready to attack and tear into its prey until there was nothing left but blood and dismembered parts.

Stiles screamed loudly and shrilly. Terror filling every part of his body and he felt numb with it.

He could barely feel it when Boyd’s strong arms lift him from the water in the nick of time as the large shark chomped down where he had been only seconds before and swam away, disgruntled that its prey had gotten away and instead tore into a passing eel that was the size of Boyd. The shark’s new prey had its own rows of sharp teeth and there was a blue charge of static that burned the shark, but it was still no match and its screams of pain and dying seemed to echo Stiles’ earlier cries of terror.

Stiles clung to Boyd and didn’t care what it looked like. Luckily Boyd didn’t seem to mind so much and carried him towards the middle of the boat, well away from the waters and the edge of the ship. Isaac had sheathed his sword and was now calmly looking back out to sea, as if nothing had happen to disturb his peace. Stiles was actually grateful for their discretion, since he was still shaking and he knew that he was going to have nightmares for years to come because of that little swimming trip, but he did have his pride and the men seemed to be respecting that.

Erica on the other hand begun to taunt him endlessly without a moment’s rest and seemed like she’d continue to do so until they reached whatever destination they were aiming for.

The other ship continued to follow after them at a steady pace. Never too close and yet never too far, it seemed to infuriated Erica and she keep repeating that it was implausible that anyone could have figured out her master plan and was actually following them. She still clung to the illusion that it was a lost fisherman or something to that effect.

Isaac, Boyd and Stiles all snorted in unison when they heard her mumbling this, quietly though since none of them wanted her anger solely on them. They all shared that kinship right now and Stiles found himself smirking with the others behind Erica’s back.

Finally, after hours of sailing, they docked next to a huge cliff side. It was very rocky and the treacherous waters around them made Stiles kind of concerned about safety. What were they doing here? They didn’t actually believe that they could climb such heights…well, considering they had kidnapped him and thought they could get away with such things, maybe they were that delusional.

Stiles didn’t believe for one second that Peter actually cared about him, but he knew that the Prince hated to be made a fool of and someone stealing his bride from right under his nose would definitely make him look foolish. So it wouldn’t be that surprising to Stiles if Peter was sailing right behind him, coming to take him back to that drafty and gaudy palace that was Stiles’ new home.

Stiles was both relieved and disappointed to see a large basket and rope seated on a high point of a rock, it had been hidden until Isaac pulled off the camouflage blanket that had been covering it. At least it looked like they wouldn’t be climbing under their own strength. The other scenario that had been going through Stiles mind was that Boyd would just carry them all on his own, he looked like he could do it too, but Stiles guessed that Erica didn’t want to put any trust in that.  
It was a tight fit and Stiles found himself squeezed between Erica’s large boobs and Isaac’s firm chest.

Okaay then…Stiles squirmed a little in discomfort, trying to find a different position that wouldn’t make him feel like his was in a clothed orgy. They were pretty, sure, but not his type at all.

“Stop moving!” Erica barked and then Boyd was using the rope as some kind of pulley system. It was slow going, but by the time they were a quarter of the way up Isaac spoke for the first time since the boat.

“It looks like he’s decided to follow us.” He commented, nonchalantly.

“What?!” Erica demanded and turned to look down; Stiles did the same thing even though it just pushed him even further into her blossom. Which serious, she really should learn to cover up better, Stiles could almost see her nipples pushing out of the fabric. He shuddered in disgust and decided to focus on the crazy man that was climbing after them at an impossible rate.

“Who the hell is that?!” Erica asked, not expecting an answer of course but wanting one all the same. “It’s not the prince, he wouldn’t come alone…Boyd! Pull faster!”

Boyd’s face was awash in sweat and Stiles could see that pulling all four of them was taking a toll on the large man but Boyd didn’t complain, he just yanked the rope even harder, trying to do Erica’s bidding.

Not that it helped that much, Stiles watched in awe as the black dressed man below them used only his hands and feet on the rope to climb the treacherous cliff. One wrong move and he’d fall to his death, but it didn’t seem to deter the man. In fact, if Stiles didn’t know any better he would say that it encouraged the man instead.

Stiles couldn’t help but feel a rush of something as he watched the man climb up after them. He frowned at the emotion; even though he couldn’t identify it, he felt like he should know what it was. It was familiar to him…like he’d felt this feeling before, but he couldn’t place when or where.

He grimaced and turned his attention elsewhere, putting it to the back of his mind. They were almost to the top now, only a few more short pulls from Boyd and they were all climbing out- well, the others climbed out, Stiles’ hands were still tied up so he was yanked out and tossed onto some hard rocks.

“Nice, thanks Boyd.” Stiles said sarcastically. So many bruises.

“You’re welcome.” Boyd said absently. It looked like the nice giant wasn’t too familiar with sarcasm; either that or he was so used to it that it didn’t really matter to him when someone spoke that way to him or not.

“Cut the ropes!” Erica demanded and when her employees just sent her disinterested looks she swore and went to do it herself.

“Wait!” Stiles shouted, his eyes wide as he tired to sit up from his sprawled position on the ground. “If you do that you’ll kill him!”

Erica smirked, “That’s the idea. I don’t know who this guy thinks he is that’s following us and I don’t really want to find out. Maybe someone who also got the same idea that we had. I can’t take that chance now can I?” It wasn’t really a question and Stiles could only watched in silence as the rope was sliced through, he could hear the basket as it fell towards the sea below. A large crash signified the end of it, the only way back down was gone…as was the rope that the dark dressed man was using to climb with, there would be nothing now…nothing but broken limbs and blood splattered rocks.

Stiles may have been emotionally stunted for over a year now but that didn’t mean he liked to see or hear needless death. He was too good hearted for that and he couldn’t help the hateful glare he sent the smirking woman, her body and expression just screamed arrogance and immorality at him. It made him feel sick and reminded him of some not so pleasant people he tried to avoid at the castle. He didn’t want any reminders of those people; he’d rather avoid thinking about the Argents for the rest of his life- thank you very much.

Isaac walked towards the edge peering downward to the ocean below. No doubt wanting to see for himself the corpse of the foolish, yet brave man who had been following them.

“Huh.” He simply said.

“Huh? What do you mean, huh?” Erica demanded and made some complicated hand movement to Boyd, clearly it was code for pick up the skinny prince because the next thing that Stiles knew he was thrown over Boyd’s back like a old sack of potatoes. His stomach may never be the same again after this.

As one they all moved to the edge and looked down, Erica cursed creatively and loudly while Stiles couldn’t help the small cheer of delight as they all witnessed– not a corpse on the sea bed- but the man clinging to the side of the cliff, clearly still alive and clearly still trying to climb to the top, this time with only his hands and feet to help him along.

“I like this guy.” Isaac commented with admiration in his voice, he had to dodge a punch from Erica the moment the comment passed his lips, but he didn’t seem to care and only smirked at her. She snarled at him in warning before turning to Boyd.

“We’re leaving; Isaac will dispatch him when, and if, he makes it to the top. No one can beat his sword skills, but we are on a schedule and I’d rather keep with it. We’ll all meet at the hideout before sundown. Don’t be late Isaac, or you won’t get your cut.”

Boyd and Isaac nodded and before Stiles knew it he they were off, with him bouncing on Boyd’s shoulders very uncomfortably. Leaving poor Isaac to deal with the mystery man.

Stiles wasn’t entirely sure who he wanted to win if it came down to a fight. Or maybe he’d get lucky and they’d kill each other for him, that way the only ones he had to deal with were Erica and Boyd and he was pretty sure that Boyd wouldn’t kill him without reason. 

Erica, though? Stiles had no doubt she’d do it just for the hell of it.

 

\--

 

 

Isaac waited and watched serenely as the man below him struggled to make his way to the top. He seemed to be doing alright, better then most would and Isaac couldn’t help but be continuously impressed. 

Now that he was closer to the summit, Isaac was able to make out more of the man. He could see that he was wearing some kind of cloth mask over his eyes so that his features were hidden. It was kind of a cliché in the worst way, but it also seemed to suit him anyway.

The man’s jaw line almost seemed to demand it from what little Isaac could see.

“Would you be needing assistance?” Isaac called out and wasn’t surprised by the loud growl the other man gave him in respond. “Because as much fun as this is to watch you trying to save yourself from sheer peril, I’m kind of on a schedule.”

“Well maybe you should throw down a rope then!” The masked man snarled as a harsh wind almost made him lose his grip, but he clung to the wall like a barracuda so that when it passed, he just continued to pull himself upwards almost without pause.

“Well, I could do that.” Isaac said, “If only so that I can proceed to kill you faster.”

“Since I’d rather not die by your hands, maybe you should just keep your mouth shut and let me concentrate on not falling to my death.”

“Well aren’t you grumpy.” Isaac said, amused despite himself. He paced for a few seconds but time didn’t seem to be going any faster and it looked like the man had gained a few inches, but that was about it.

This was going to take forever and Isaac knew that Erica wasn’t kidding when she said that he wouldn’t get any of the pay if he didn’t make it in time at the meeting point. It wouldn’t be the first time she had cheated her way into his and Boyd’s cuts and Isaac doubted it would be the last.

Isaac leaned over the side and proceeded to counter-promise with the man instead.

“What if I say to you that I promise I won’t try to kill you until you are safely up here?” 

The man looked up, his mouth twisted in a mocking smile, “And just why should I believe you? After all, you’re trying to kill me. You could be lying in order to lure me into a blanket of security so that I would be easier to murder.”

Isaac chewed his bottom lip for a second before an idea sprung on him.

“I promise on my family’s graves. I, Isaac, swordsman of the eastern Islands, make a solemn vow that I will not attack you until you are safely away from the cliff’s edge. Once you are safe, we will proceed to have a proper duel to the death. Like gentlemen.” Isaac swore solemnly and meant every word.

The man took a few seconds to think it over, but when he slipped a little as another large gust of wind knocked into him that made him cling to the wall with sheer will, he quickly agreed to Isaac’s vow and assistance.

Isaac tied off one end of the long rope that was still on the ground near his feet to a large rock and then threw the other end of the heavy and thick rope over the side. He watched for a moment more as the man quickly grabbed it, then made quick work climbing the rest of the way up.

Without really thinking about it he reached out to help the man when he got in range, pulling him to safety so that the man didn’t have to crawl over the edge on his belly. It didn’t seem dignified for a man who just climbed one of the most treacherous cliffs in the whole kingdom.

“Thanks.” The man grunted as he heaved himself over the side and slid away quickly, making sure that there was some distance between them. Isaac figured that the man just wasn’t a people person.

Isaac shrugged at the gratitude. “No problem.” 

He took a few steps back as well so to give the man even more room to breath and gather his bearings.

It didn’t take long, quicker then Isaac figured, and the man was standing tall and was staring down at him, looking hardly out of breath. Isaac just cocked his head to the side, something that Erica said made him look like a lost puppy. Coming from her it hadn’t been a compliment.

“Ready?” Isaac commented unnecessarily since he was already getting in a battle stance.

The masked man smiled- it wasn’t a nice smile- way too many teeth.

They drew their swords at the same time, both of them were smiling, and both were ready to kill or be killed.

As many know, ‘tis the way of the Swordsman.

 

\--

 

Stiles groaned as Boyd hiked him up his shoulder for the tenth zillion time after he’d slipped like a wet eel down the man’s back.

“He should’ve been here by now!!” Erica growled, her eyes almost seemed to glow with anger, but that most likely was a trick of the sunlight that was shinning down on them, and by shinning, Stiles meant that it was beating them into sweaty submission.

Boyd nodded absently, his attention sharply on the horizon where Isaac should have wandered down hours ago. “Maybe he’s having too much fun; you know what happens when he finds someone who’s at least subpar at fighting with a sword. It could be hours still before he deals the final blow.”

Erica’s face scrunched up in disgust and irritation. “Well he’s not getting his share, that’s for sure. In fact, maybe I should just dump his scrawny ass and find myself another swordsman, they’re a dime a dozen nowadays.”

“Hey now...“ Boyd began to protest before he was interrupted.

“Or maybe I need to find myself a new strong man?” She said sweetly. Boyd didn’t say another word, although Stiles could feel the tension in his muscles, showing how much Erica’s words had affected him. 

After another half an hour passed Erica finally decided to worry, her face became pinched and she had stopped smirking. 

“I didn’t think it would be possible to find someone who could beat Isaac, but maybe our little prince’s stalker bested him. If that’s the case, we need to continue moving quickly.” 

She looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding sharply to herself, a plan clearly forming in her head.

“Right then, Boyd, you stay here and break the man’s back when, and if, he passes by. Use one of the large nearby rocks if you don’t feel like getting your hands bloody. Whatever you do, make sure the man’s good and dead, you got me?” 

Boyd set Stiles down on his feet, making sure he didn’t fall down as he found his balance. Hanging upside down and then being right side up made for a very dizzying feeling.

“And you?” Boyd asked, although it sounded like he could care less.

“I’m going to take his highness to the hills; I should be able to see everything from there. If I see him best you- which he shouldn’t if you do your job! –then I’m going to have to kill the bastard myself.” She sighed in irritation, like it was such a chore to do her own dirty work when everyone around her could do it instead. 

Stiles huffed a tired laugh; really, this was all getting a bit boring now. Erica’s little gang seemed to be getting picked off one by one; they weren’t really good at the whole kidnapping thing from what Stiles could see.

“By now Peter will be hot on my trail.” Stiles commented. He ignored the glare from Erica as he continued, “Even if you kill this masked man it won’t matter. Peter is going to string you up by your insides and that’s putting it mildly.” It wasn’t a warning or even a promise, it was pure fact.

“Oh? You think he loves you that much?” Erica mocked, sneer painted on her painted face.

Stiles shook his head, “No of course not.” He ignored his captors bemused faces. “I just know that he doesn’t like someone taking what he thinks is his, and I know he had some important meetings later in the week and now he’ll have to miss those in order to track me down. We’re all going to be in trouble. Thing is, I’ll probably be the only one to live through all this.”

Erica just snarled at him and yanked at the rope that bound his hands, dragging him away from Boyd who stood there, staring in the direction they’d just come from, only moving to pick up a really large rock from the ground.

 

\--

 

They didn’t have long to wait, Stiles stood there, transfixed as the masked man came running around the large boulders at the end of the hill. 

Erica must have thought that he’d yell out some kind of warning because she had taken a handkerchief and gagged him. It was highly unpleasant and he hoped that the glare he sent her was enough to showcase his displeasure at being treated like this.

The smirk she sent him told him that she really didn’t give a fuck what he liked or didn’t like.

They both watched as Boyd threw the heavy rock a moment too soon, missing the man entirely and alerting him to his presence, although the way the man maneuvered effortlessly in the air and ground made Stiles think that even if Boyd had thrown it at the prefect moment, it would have still missed it’s mark, they guy was unnaturally flexible. 

“What the fuck is that idiot doing?!” Erica screamed in frustration and yanked on her hair. Boyd was now grappling with the man and while he should have been winning, considering his size, it looked like it was almost an even fight. Well, it would have looked even if the other man hadn’t been gaining the upper hand and was now pushing Boyd backwards to the heavier rocks.

If Stiles hadn’t been gagged and angry, he’d tell her it was obvious that Boyd must have been holding back. Either that or the guy who had been chasing them was some kind of demon or was on a super root drink, but since he was gagged and angry he decided that the best response he could give was to ignore her in her external crisis and watched the scene down below unfold.

 

 

\--

 

“I’m not sure if I should thank you or not for missing me with that rock.” The masked man said tersely, his body tense- ready to spring into action at a second’s notice.

“I had wanted a fair fight.” Boyd defended, “I’m going to take a guess and say that you defeated Isaac since you’re here.” It wasn’t really a question.

“I did.” The man nodded, deciding to answer anyway.

“Talented with a sword then.” Boyd said thoughtfully before continuing. “Well, I don’t fight with a sword; my way is good old fashioned brawls.”

The man looked Boyd up and down, “Not much of a fair fight is it then? You’re easily twice as big as me.” Despite saying this the man didn’t sound afraid, in fact he looked and sounded amused more then anything.

“Well I can’t help it if my body is just manlier then yours.”

Any amusement that may have been on the man’s face vanished instantly, it was clear he didn’t like his muscularity called into question.

“Let’s do this then.” The man crouched down, his legs and arms spread in a mostly defensive stance.

Boyd nodded and with a warrior’s cry sprung forward, meeting the masked man head on.

The fight didn’t last long after that.

 

 

\--

 

“Umm...wow.” Erica simpered and Stiles just nodded dumbly along with her, his eyes felt like they were twice as big as their usual size. A lonesome breeze blew past them, just adding to the moment.

It had only been two minutes since Boyd and their stalker had begun to brawl but in those few minutes it had become something of a brutal battle.

You’d think with Boyd’s huge muscles and largeness that he’d be a shoe in for the win. 

What no one had counted on was that the mysterious masked man fought dirty.

Really, really dirty. Like animal kingdom- last one standing, steel toed boot to the nuts dirty.

At the moment, the man was squirreled along Boyd’s back, his arms around his neck in a chock hold. Boyd was flailing around trying to get him to loosen his grip enough to crush his spine.

Stiles had no idea how the guy had even got up there.

Whatever Boyd was doing to try to dislodge the man wasn’t working. The guy had a death grip or something as equally tight and soon enough Boyd was dropping to the ground, either passed out or dead from the lack of air to his lungs.

“Son of a-!” Erica yelled and her nails began to dig a little too deeply into Stiles’ poor arm. 

Stiles would probably be saying something really smug right now if it wasn’t for the gag. It was probably for the best, he still wasn’t sure if he was getting the better deal with this new asshole and he’d rather not have Erica decided that if she couldn’t have him then this new guy certainly didn’t need him.

…when had he began to decide that he’d rather live then die?

Before he could analyze his own head, the man came sprinting up, looking hardly winded from his fight with Boyd only moments before. Seriously, who was this guy?

As the stranger finally got to the top to the hill with them Stiles was finally able to get a good look at him. He shivered, the man eluded a creepy and yet sensual vibe that was hard to ignore. His clothing was a deep midnight black and the mask he wore covered everything but his lips and chin, not to mention his eyes.

Which were a very creepy and very frightening scarlet.

Stiles shivered again and tried to look away, he wasn’t sure he liked how the man was looking at him, like he wanted to tear Stiles to pieces and then eat him all up, and probably in a bad way, definitely a bad way. 

Maybe a little bit in a good way too, if Stiles wanted to be honest.

“And who might you be?” Erica hissed out.

Both Stiles and the man jumped a little, they both seemed to have forgotten all about her while they’d been eye-fucking each other.

Wait a minute! – no, there had been no eye-fucking. They had only been glaring at each other, with hate, mutual hate.

Stiles nodded to himself as he planted himself well into the realm of denial land.

He liked it there, he’d like to stay there actually, for a long time. Or at least until the man and Erica killed each other and Stiles would just stand there and laugh silently.

It sounded like a plan, which was great- Stiles loved plans. Even if his plans usually went the way of the dodo bird.

“No one you should concern yourself with.” The man spoke, his voice was deep...beautifully deep.

…and whoa. Just-whoa.

Both Erica and Stiles shivered at the same time, and this time the prince wasn’t shivering in fear. The man seemed to have perfected the sex voice.

Even when he wasn’t talking dirty, that took true talent.

Actually it sounded familiar…

“Well, I think you should concern me actually.” Erica spoke, breaking Stiles’ trail of thought before he could pursue it.

The man bared his teeth at her in a mock parody of a smile. Erica just copied him, the guy’s was better, although Stiles would give Erica an A for effort.

“I don’t think this is going to go very far, so why don’t we take it up a notch.” Erica said and before Stiles could even begin to question what she had in mind she was suddenly holding a very long, very sharp dagger to his throat.

Stiles felt his whole body freeze. This suddenly felt a lot more serious then it had been, even when he’d taken a swim in the shark infested waters earlier.

He hadn’t been threatened with a weapon until this point; he hadn’t been truly afraid up until this point. Okay, he had been afraid in the water, deathly so. But this right here felt more personal then that.

“Move one step forward and I’ll cut his throat.” Erica purred and the man looked like he was carved into stone now, he wasn’t moving forward anymore, but his eyes were glaring at Erica now. The mock smile was gone and in its place was truly frightening snarl.

A level of hate that almost seemed impossible began to exclude from him and Stiles was actually scared, on Erica’s behalf this time. That snarl meant business, the kind that murderers showed their victims before the deeded was done.

“You wouldn’t dare.” The man growled lowly…was his teeth growing bigger or was Stiles hallucinating now on top of everything else that had happened to him today?

Erica just smiled against Stiles’ cheek and pressed the dagger into Stiles skin causing him to involuntarily whimper. Clearly she hadn’t sensed the dangerous atmosphere that the man was exuding; she was either ignorant or arrogant to what was about to happen to her, maybe a bit of both.

A small bead of blood began to trickle down Stiles throat where the knife nicked him.

“Oh no? I don’t think you really understand what I’m doing here. No matter how this works out, this boy is going to die. It could be now or later, my employer doesn’t really care, just as long as doe-eyes’ heart here stops beating.” 

Doe-eyes? Was she fucking with him now? Stiles wanted to protest his new nickname, but a loud rumbling sound stopped him. Not that he’d really be able to protest- gagged remember?

The man seemed to almost be glowing now, a dark energy filled the air around them and his eyes were flashing a brighter red then it had been previously.

Erica swore and dragged Stiles backwards, away from the crazed man. Stiles hadn’t been expecting it, so he let his feet drag along the ground, making it difficult for 

Erica to get a proper hold on to him. She kept the dagger pressed tightly against his throat, though she was careful not to slice him open, which he was grateful for if nothing else.

The man stalked forward again, this time ignoring Erica’s threats completely as she screamed them out. The man’s patience seemed to be finally come to an end. He wasn’t playing around anymore.

And that’s when Stiles realized something very significant; something that Isaac, Boyd and Erica had failed to realize.

The man had been playing with them this entire time. He could have taken Stiles at any moment before, killed everyone without a problem, but instead he’d let this game go on. Chasing them like a cat does to a mouse, a hawk with a squirrel, a wolf to a doe. A predator hunting its prey.

It brought a whole new level of terror to the scenario.

Stiles closed his eyes and let himself fall into his own mind, detaching himself from the outside world, everything was just too much now and he was tired of dealing with it.

Basically…he fainted. Like a bitch.

Because of this he didn’t notice that Erica lost her hold on him when he became nothing but dead wait, she dropped him with a curse but not before leaving a long, although thankfully not deep, cut along his neck that trailed all the way up to his ear.

It was the last thing she’d ever do, because as soon as her hands were no longer touching Stiles the masked man dropped on her like a stone, a crazed, blood thirsty stone.

 

\--

 

Stiles woke up slowly, the gentle rocking that felt like it surrounded his whole body kept on trying to lure him back into a dream status. It was comfortable if slightly annoying.

But when his rocking pillow grunted and stumbled on some uneven terrain, Stiles quickly gained complete consciousness. 

“What the heck?!” Stiles screamed out as his eyes opened and his view of the world was completely blocked by a really tight ass.

No really, it was like god had chiseled this ass himself and called it his greatest creation.

Another grunt of noise brought him out of his ass coma and he flailed a bit in shock and disorientation.

“Stop moving.” A voice hissed above him and Stiles finally realized his situation.

Masked man had draped Stiles over his shoulder much like Boyd had. 

Guess this means that he’d switched up kidnappers then.

“What do you think you are doing?” Stiles cried out and tried to swing away, it didn’t work- much like it hadn’t worked when he had tried to move with Boyd, but hey-a man had to try. “Put me down you- you brute!” 

The man stopped moving entirely and that’s when Stiles realized that maybe shouting at the still unknown and unnamed man who may or may not have just killed three people so that he’d have the pleasure of lugging Stiles around like a sack of potatoes wasn’t the best idea.

So sue him, he was having an off day.

Suddenly Stiles felt his whole world rearrange itself as he was quickly put back down on his feet. He made a note that he wasn’t wearing the gag anymore which was the only good thing that came out at switching captors at this point.

He glared at the masked man and got a glare that was twice as hot back at him, he covered his shiver well with a look of indifference and took a look around him.  
It looked like his kidnapper had gotten maybe two hills away from where Erica had held him while they enjoyed the non-cage fight between Mystery Fighter and Boyd the Strong.

He looked back at the man and opened his mouth, Stiles wasn’t completely clear on what he wanted to say but he knew that he didn’t feel like staying silent.

No, this man will suffer the full consequence of his mouth.

…and that was a lot dirtier sounding in his head then he thought it would sound like.

Before he could speak though the man got there first.

“So little prince,” the man sneered, “what possible plan do you have to get out of this situation? Hmm? Maybe you’ll get down on your knees and pleasure me? Whore yourself out? That’s what I heard you’re good for anyway.”

Oh. He. Did. Not.

Stiles exploded, hurt and fury fueling his words. “Who the fuck do you think you are talking to like that you sicko?! I-” He reached out and pushed hard against the man’s rock hard abs, not even noticing that all his restrains had been removed, too far gone in rage at the callousness of the man in front of him, “-am a prince and engaged to the future king of an immense kingdom and I won’t be spoken to like that by some callous brute of a man who wouldn’t know pleasure if it bit him in the ass and rolled over for him!”

“Oh?” The man’s voice had gone dangerously light, “So this future king of yours is the only one you’ll whore yourself too then?”

Stiles growled, “No you bastard! I may be engaged to the King but I would never give him the satisfaction of my body. That was reserved for one man and one man only, and neither you or Peter or anyone else is anywhere close to what he was.”

“So, just to clarify the air then, you’re saying that you’re nothing but an adulterer then? Playing the field? Where is this so called man that you speak so highly of? If you are with him then why are you engaged to the King? Oh wait…the rumors must be true then, for you must really be nothing more then a heartless brat if you’d cheat on him like this.”

Stiles wanted to scream but settled for a wordless shout instead, it just made him feel even angrier. “You know nothing! I have loved and been loved more then any one person alive could ever hope to live for!” 

The man sneered at him, “Then why are you off whoring yourself to the King then? Because you loved this other man so much that you just had to cheat on him-”

“Because he’s DEAD!!” Stiles screamed, “He was murdered and he’s never coming back and he lied to me! He promised he’d come back, but he lied!!!”

“…So what? That gives you permission to marry someone else? Did you even wait two days before falling for another pretty face?”

Stiles’ eyes were streaming with tears and he hated this man in front of him, hated how he made him feel, how he brought all these feelings alive in him, brought back the memories of his love to the surface. All the love, guilt, sorrow…he hated everything and he just wanted to punch this smug bastard in the face until nothing was left.

“You know nothing.” Stiles hissed, “I died the moment he did. I haven’t fallen for any pretty faces; I just don’t care what happens to me anymore. If the King wants me then fine, he can take what he wants because he knows that I won’t ever love him. I won’t be long for this world anyway.”

“This young man you speak of, what was his name?” The man asked instead of continuing the trail of conversation. His face gave nothing away and Stiles had no idea what he was thinking. But he didn’t look like he wanted to tear Stiles to pieces anymore. Well too bad, Stiles wanted to tear him to pieces.

Stiles frowned, but answered the out of the blue question; it was better then what they had been talking about. Kind of. “His name was D-Derek, Derek Hale.”

The man hummed thoughtfully for a minute, “He sounds familiar to me. Did his eyes glow blue whenever he was feeling a well of emotion?”  
Stiles gaped, stunned. “Uh, yes! Yes they did.”

The man smiled, it wasn’t a nice smile at all, more like a terrible smirk that told Stiles that the man knew something that he didn’t.

“I must have been the one to kill him then.” The man smirked, “Actually, it has just occurred to me that I haven’t introduced myself yet.” 

The man bowed to the horrified prince, “Captain Matt, at your service.”

Stiles felt his blood freeze in his veins. If there was one man in all the world that he hated more then anything, even Peter, it was the hateful pirate Captain Matt, the one who had led a siege of blood thirsty thugs on his beloved’s ship and slaughtered the crew for their meager possessions.

“No…” Stiles whispered, “You—it was you. YOU’RE THE ONE WHO TOOK DEREK FROM ME!!” Stiles didn’t think, he just threw himself forward with a cry of pure rage and anguish. He wanted to kill this man, wanted him dead in the worse way, and wanted him to suffer and beg and bleed.

He must have caught the man off guard because before Stiles knew it they both were tumbling down a long hillside.

He tried to not cry out as his sides hit the hard rocks and uneven ground. The man—Captain Matt, had grabbed hold of one of his wrists when he had pushed him, so he was caught up in the man’s embrace as well.

As they finally hit bottom Stiles let out a deep breath, his whole body felt like it was on fire and he was sure that his ankle must have broken or something because it felt like tiny daggers were digging into him there.

“Are you alright?” The man asked, leaning forward, as if to inspect him.

Stiles didn’t give him the chance. He yanked his hands out of the pirate captain’s hold and rolled away before getting to his feet, more unsteady then he would have like.

“Stay the hell away from me you murderer.” Stiles growled, “If I could right now I’d kill you myself, but since I’m not much more then 147lbs of pale skin and fragile bone, I’m going to kill you by sarcasm and hopefully you’ll drop dead sooner rather then later—“

“Shut up, idiot.” The captain moaned out, actually face palming himself.

Stiles opened his mouth to retort, most likely with something really sarcastic and hopefully biting but the words died in his throat.

“Say that again.” Stiles whispered, falling onto his knees, ignoring the throb of pain from his ankle and all the other cuts and bruises that covered his body.

“Shut. Up. Idiot.” The man spoke, an almost playful tone to his voice now. All previous feelings of malice and darkness had faded…instead only a calm aura surrounded the man.

“…DEREK?!”

 

 

\---

 

 

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” Stiles raged while simultaneously pressing kisses all over Derek’s face, the mask long forgotten on the ground by their feet.

“The feelings mutual.” Derek rumbled. He was rubbing his stubbly facial hair all over Stiles’ face, no doubt making Stiles’ fair skin pink with irritation and stubble burn.

“You were dead Derek! You aren’t allowed to die! You. Freaking. Moron.” Stiles snipped back and leaned into an open mouth kiss, letting his tongue twist lazily alongside Derek’s. It had been too long, way to long since they’d had this together.

Derek leaned back, causing Stiles to whine loudly in protest. “I promised didn’t I?” He leaned forward again, his lips nipping along Stiles’ earlobe. “Not even death could keep us apart. I will always, always find my way back to you.”

Stiles moaned and closed his eyes, allowing the sensation of Derek’s touch to utterly consume him, make him forget that there was anything else in the world except just the two of them. 

“Yours Derek, I am forever and only yours.”

Derek let out an animalistic growl that did pleasant things to Stiles’ downstairs equipment. He rolled his head to the side giving Derek free reign of his delicate neck.

“Mine.”

They spent a better part of an hour just making out, soft but hungry kisses and a small bit of light petting only, reacquainting themselves with each other and whispering everlasting vows of love and devotion. 

Finally, Derek pulled back and smiled at the look of utter bliss on Stiles’ face and it wasn’t the smile that he’d given Stiles earlier, there was no darkness in this smile. This one was filled with only new found hope and love.

And no small hint of horniness as well.

“We better get going. I’m not sure how far the King and his little band of cutthroats are behind us, although I did leave them a few presents along the way.”

Stiles smiled back. Happy, so darn happy like he hadn’t been for over a year. “I’m sure you did.” 

He slowly got back on his feet with Derek’s help, wincing a bit at the sting of his foot. It hurt, although not as badly as before.

Derek bent down and inspected it. “It’s not broken, but you definitely sprained it.”

Stiles groaned, “That’s the last thing we need. I’m going to slow us down for sure.”

Derek grinned saucily and without a warning, he reached down and picked Stiles up bridal style.

“Derek no! Put me down!” Stiles shrieked with indignity. Derek just laughed and began to walk. It was clear that he had no problem with Stiles’ weight.

Stiles crossed his arms and pouted. “Yea, why don’t you just drop-kick my masculinity right now and let it go die in a corner. Seriously.”

“Stop whining.” Derek said, “I have a boat waiting for us, but unfortunately it’s on the other side of the forest.”

Stiles stared at him then looked at the forest that Derek was walking towards.

“That forest?” 

“Yes Stiles, that forest.”

“The forest that is forbidden and no one who’s ever gone in there has come back alive, forest?”

“Yes Stiles, that forest.”

“…Oh fuck you.”

“Maybe later, right now we really need to get moving.”

Stiles huffed, “Don’t you mean you need to get moving since I’m the one who’s being carried like a child.”

“No, you are being carried like my wife.” Derek teased.

“Oh fuck no!” Stiles waved his hands and almost unbalancing Derek. “I am not your wife! I’m going to be your goddamn husband, not some lil’ stay at home, feeding the babies wife!”

Derek rolled his eyes, “Shut up, idiot. I know the technicalities of our genders.”

“Well good.” Stiles grumbled and was silent for all of five minutes before opening his mouth again. “Hey, were you serious before?”

Derek looked down at him for a second before looking back up to watch where he was going.

“Was I serious about what?”

“About me getting to fuck you.” Stiles asked innocently. The naughty glint in his eyes spoke differently though.

Derek choked on air for a few seconds before glaring down at the giggling young man in his arms. His eyes burned a soft red as he leaned down to whisper.

“Of course you’re welcome to fuck my ass, but first, I’m going to fuck that tight virgin hole of yours. I’m going to wreck you so badly that you won’t ever want my cock anywhere but inside of you.”

Now it was Stiles turn to choke, Derek just hummed in satisfaction and upped his pace.

“Well at least that hasn’t changed much.” Stiles mumbled.

“What?”

“You’re still an ass.”

Derek smirked at the comment. Clearly proud of his dirty talk moment.

A while passed in silence before Stiles began asking questions. Derek didn’t seem to mind so much, it was like he’d been waiting for the moment Stiles felt ready before he started explaining himself.

“Everything was fine at first. The ship I was on was a small vessel, but we were carrying some pretty important cargo and someone obviously snitched on us because we were barely out to sea before we were attacked. Captain Matt and I dueled for a while, but I was unpracticed with a sword and he was quite skilled. It was clear that I was about to die-” Stiles made a whimpering noise and Derek stopped explaining long enough to take his hand and place several light butterfly kisses over it, calming Stiles down greatly.

“I was on my knees,” Derek continued, his voice a lot more gentle then it had been before, “ready to face death but…it wasn’t like I wanted to die or anything, I’m man enough that I could accept it if I needed too, but I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving you behind. Of never seeing your face again- the thought of it broke me. I begged the captain to spare my life. Not for my own sake but for love, for the truest love that could exist between two beings. For the boy I had left behind and wanted-no, needed, to return too.”

“I don’t know why he spared me, and to this day I’m still puzzled by the whole thing, but I must have said something to intrigue him because he did spare me. He took me aboard his ship and made me a cabin boy; I took to the lowest tasks and was basically everyone’s bitch.”

“Wait-! By bitch do you mean--?” Stiles was almost too afraid to ask, but it was a valid concern, not that he’d love Derek any less if he’d been forced to endure sexual encounters with others before their wedding, but he needed to know because he needed to know how many people he had to have beheaded, as a wedding present.

What-? He didn’t share well.

“NO!” Derek shook his head fervently, “Not like that. I meant that I was treated like a slave and every morning and evening I would be forced to train with the captain. He taught me the finer points of swordsmanship and several different fighting techniques. I trained hard, not because that’s what he wanted, but because the more powerful I became, the more likely I would be able to escape and find my way back to you. I figured you would have heard about the sinking of the merchant ship by then and I was worried about you. Never in a million years would I have guessed that you’d be engaged to another man when I next saw you.” Derek grumbled the last bit.

Stiles flushed, “Derek, it wasn’t like that. I don’t love Peter, hell I kind of hate his guts actually. He’s kind of creepy you know? Like one of those guys who stare a little too much at children.”

Derek shuddered in disgust before snapping at him. “Then why the hell are you with him?!”

“I thought I’d lost you forever,” Stiles explained slowly, gathering his thoughts. “I truly didn’t want to live anymore, but I guess I was too much of a coward to take my own life. So when the King came to my doorstop a week after you had supposedly been killed…he told me that he’d heard great things about me from the villagers and that he needed someone who was so well liked to marry him. He said he wanted to gain the trust of the people and who better then a lowly peasant like myself?”

“He actually said that?!” Derek exclaimed hotly, anger etched in every line of his face.

Stiles snorted, “Well, not at first, he tried to play off as a charming and love struck fool, but I quickly told him to stop bullshitting me and tell me what he really wanted. It didn’t take long after that for him to show some of his true colors, which I will once again tell you, creepy as hell. He needed a figurehead bride and who better then an emotional stressed young man who everyone loved and who didn’t care what happened to him anymore? I was prefect for him.” Stiles sighed, “I told him straight up that this would never be more then a business deal. I’d never love him or even begin to care about him and he actually laughed in my face and told me that in time I would actually come to lust after him. Which- eww.”

Derek had begun to growl and the vibrations that coursed through his body into Stiles’ was quickly leading to erection land.

“Derek, stop please.” Stiles begged and the growling quickly stopped. Just so that Derek wouldn’t get the wrong idea Stiles explained. “I mean, not that the growling isn’t hot, because it is. So, so hot. But I really would like our first time to maybe be somewhere a bit more comfortable, and if you continue to growl like that I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”

Derek chuckled, the anger receding, for now at least. “You’d jump and ravish me then?”

“Like a hungry wolf.”

Surprisingly Derek tensed at the comment, but before Stiles could question him about it he quickly relaxed his muscles and Stiles knew Derek enough to realize that he probably didn’t want to talk about it.

Well tough, because Stiles wanted to talk about it.

“Derek—“

Derek interrupted him fast, with short but sweet kisses. Stiles’ let out an exasperated sigh but let it go, for now anyway. He would allow Derek to continue with his side of the story. But they would be having a talk, soon.

“Anyway as I was saying, I trained with the captain for months and apparently I’m a quick learner because it didn’t take long for me too surpass his skills. One day he pulled me aside after I had taken his sword from him in a fight and had him on the ground bleeding from a shallow, but still deadly wound.

“He told me the truth, of the legend that surrounded him. He wasn’t the true Captain Matt, well actually his name had truly been Matt, but he wasn’t the original Captain that had started the rumors all these years past. Apparently the name is much scarier then the man, because the name and reputation of Captain Matt had been passed down four times now. The other captains had all retired off to some beach homes with fortunes and now this Captain wanted to retire as well and selected me to be the newest Captain Matt. I would take a new crew that had no knowledge of what the old Captain looked like and take his name and his reputation of a dreadful and murderous pirate. It worked enough for me I guess, so I did just that. I only traveled a few months, gathering up the fortune that I would retire on with you and before I knew it a whole year had gone by and I wanted- no, needed to see you again. I went back to the farm, but your father had sold it long ago and I had no clue where you’d gone off too. It had actually been by chance that I heard about the King’s new bride to be. A man whose beauty shone like the sun, whose lily white skin was as soft as buttermilk and whose eyes burned like the brightest sunflower. I knew it was you before they even told me your name and I burned with anger and shock. I decided that I’d kidnap you from your sleeping chamber in the castle but before I could lay in wait to do so, I saw you riding your horse outside the castle gates. I wasn’t close enough to grab you, and then I saw those three thieves snatch you first. I followed after you all and now here we are.”

Stiles was silent for a moment before speaking, his voice small and filled with tears. “I’m sorry that you had to come home to this. I should never have accepted the King’s proposal, even if you were for all purposes dead to the world. I should have had more faith in our love…I’m so sorry.” 

Derek stopped walking and gently put Stiles down, making sure he didn’t put any pressure on his wounded ankle.

“Shhh love, it’s alright. Everything’s forgiven.” Derek held him tightly in an embrace; once again butterfly kisses dotted Stiles’ face. Tracing the small beauty marks, and nuzzling his chin and forehead.

Stiles laughed wetly, tears falling from his eyes once again. “I’m feeling like such a crybaby right now.”

“That’s because you are a crybaby.” Derek teased gently.

“Oh, go hump a tree trunk.” Stiles grumbled into Derek’s chest, feeling it vibrate with Derek’s laughter.

“So, this is it, right? We sail off into the sunset together now?” Stiles asked curiously.

“Something to that effect. There’s just one thing I have to do before we get to the ship though.” Derek’s voice had hardened with seriousness.

“Oh?” Stiles leaned back to look into Derek’s face and saw that even if his voice had gotten all broody on him he still had a fond and gentle look about him.

Derek let go and took a step back before dropping on one knee. Stiles stared at him, wide eyed and mouth sagging open as Derek reached into a hidden pocket and pull out the most beautiful ring that Stiles had ever seen.

It was silver and engravings covered the outer and inner sides. Small, but beautifully detailed sketchings of wolves and symbols that Stiles couldn’t even begin to identify but loved all the same. There was small etchings with gold flecks in the carvings and with a shaking hand Stiles reached out and let Derek slip the ring onto his finger.

Before the ring was on though he managed to catch a glimpse of the writing inside the ring.

I’ve never known a Truer Love then with You, my Soul, my Heart, My Life. My Idiot.

Stiles burst out laughing and flopped onto Derek, his true fiancé. 

“Oh Gods above I love you so much! You and all your neurotic manners.”

“Well, that’s good then.” Derek smirked then instead of picking him up he helped Stiles walk instead. Which, while a bit more painful, was actually a lot more dignified, so Stiles didn’t mind.

They’d walked deeper into the woods and had left the gentle hills behind them, and the deeper they went, the darker and more dangerous it got. Once or twice…or maybe about ten times, Derek had to pull a fast one in order to save Stiles from becoming some kind of plant food or swallowed by quicksand.

“You’ve gotten a lot faster now, reaction time I mean.” Stiles commented after Derek once again saved him from falling into a pit that had several hundred hissing and poisonous snakes slithering on the bottom.

Derek grunted, “Some things may have changed while I was gone, but I haven’t forgotten your clumsy ways. I figured training myself to stop you from landing yourself in a puddle of trouble would be on the top of my list when I was training.”

“Oh ha ha.” Stiles said sarcastically. “You think your so witty, but let me tell you something Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody. I’m the witty one in this partnership, so you can shove any ideas about being funny right out the window. You’re the one whose sex appeal makes women wet themselves remember? Stick with what your good at.”

“Sooo….” Derek drew out, sounding even more sarcastic then Stiles, as if that was possible. “Just stand around and look pretty? Is that what you mean?”

“Yep!” Stiles grinned and bounced on the balls of his feet. “I mean, I’m the witty one, you’re the brawn and beauty of the group.” 

Derek growled and tackled Stiles to the ground, making sure that Stiles didn’t hit his head too hard when they fell to the ground.

“Ow! What the hell man?” Stiles grunted out, the breath knocked out of him.

“What?” Derek smirked, “I’m just showing off my brawn and beauty as you put it.” And with that said he proceeded to tickle the hell out of Stiles.

Stiles was being tickled by Derek…To. Death.

Stiles howled in laughter, tears falling down his face at the assault. He resorted to begging Derek to stop, but Derek was a man on a mission.

“Say I’m witty.” Derek demanded, the look on his face was purely evil.

“Wha-?” Stiles giggled helplessly and looked up through his tear pooled eyes. “Nooooo!” That was the most he was able to get out before he lost himself in laughter once more.

“Say it Stiles!” Derek teased, the smile on his face only stretched wider as he stared down at his little fiancé, face red with exertion and happiness. 

“Okay! Okay!” Stiles finally broke, “Your witty, your smart- you are the goddamn god of sex appeal and brains!”

Derek finally stopped his attack and let his husband-to-be gain his breath back.

“Oh, and you are evil as well.” Stiles grumbled out but the wide smile on his face took the sting out of the words.

“I know.” Derek said proudly.

Stiles huffed and pulled himself to his feet. Of course Derek would take that as a compliment. Never mind that Stiles had actually meant it as a compliment. It was the principle of the matter.

“You think we’re far enough in the woods that no one’s following us?” Stiles asked suddenly, their situation bearing down on his mind now that the fun and games had ended.

Derek looked up at the question, he’d been brushing his clothes off since a lot of dirt and small twigs had gathered on them from their little tumble on the ground. Stiles’ clothing hadn’t faired much better.

“Well, I’m not sure of the King, but I know we don’t have to worry about the little band of misfits that took you in the first place, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Oh right…I wanted to ask about that. What did you do with those three? Did you kill them?” Stiles asked, curious about what had happened to his former kidnappers.

“No I didn’t kill them, well, not all of them.” Derek replied smugly. “Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have two more new recruits on the ship when we get there.”

“Why two? Do you mean Isaac and Boyd?”

“Well, I don’t think the bitch would be in any condition to follow us.”

“Derek—what did you do?” 

“Nothing she didn’t deserve. The other two only fought me; they didn’t try to hurt you, which is why I went easy on them. But I can’t say the same for…what was her name?” 

Stiles sighed, “Her name’s Erica.”

“Right, well, Erica won’t be joining us, ever.” Derek said with a final note in his voice. Stiles shrugged indifferently, he didn’t really care if she decided to come with or not, he didn’t really begrudge her for using him as leverage, although it obviously hadn’t worked in her favor. He had liked the other two well enough though, as much as a kidnapped person can like their kidnappers at any rate.

He began to twirl his new ring on his finger, it felt right, having that small piece of jewelry on him, it was like it clearly declared that he was Derek’s and no one was allowed to touch.

Well, now that he thought about it, that was exactly what it said.

Huh, he needed to find something for Derek to wear, just so that they could be even and so that any hussy out there would stay away from Derek’s abs.

Those were his abs, by the Gods, and he’d be the only one that got to lick them!

“Alright, I think we should be almost at the edge now.” Derek whispered, his head was cocked at an angle, as if he could hear something.

“What’s wrong?” Stiles asked, because the sound that they were close to the edge of the woods was good news, not bad.

“There’s something…not right.” Derek said with a pinched frown, “Come on, let’s hurry.”

It didn’t take them much longer to reach the edge of the forest and Stiles could see the distant sea in front of them. It looked like an hour’s walk away; not too bad considering the sun was getting close to setting.

But before they were two feet out of the forest the sound of horses surrounded them.

“Shit.” Derek swore and reached out to grab Stiles in a protective hug while the King and his men made their presence known while at the same time surrounding them so that they couldn’t escape.

“Well, well. This is certainly an unexpected surprise.” Peter sneered from atop his steed, his personal guard surrounding him, with one of his more important henchpersons next to him, Kate Argent.

Stiles did not like the way she was staring at Derek. It was a mixture of disgust and twisted sexual attraction. He sneered at her when she caught on that he’d seen her, she just smirked and winked, the bitch.

Derek growled a warning low in his throat. “Peter.”

“Derek. The news of your death must have been greatly exaggerated since your standing right before me. But enough about that, hand over the boy.” Peter’s voice was soft and that’s what made Stiles on edge the most. A soft spoken Peter was a dangerous Peter, the King wasn’t playing around right now which meant that he was very aggravated and possibly more then a pissed off.

At this point he would most likely kill Derek just because he felt like it, regardless if Stiles went with him or not.

Stiles’ mind tried to come up with a plan fast enough as he saw the guards begin to draw their swords. Derek was now crouched in front of Stiles, his own sword in hand and he was clearly ready and able to fight, but it was a fight that Stiles knew he wouldn’t win, not against this many men and not with a still gimpy fiancé to protect. Derek would lose…and Stiles would be damned that he would be the cause of Derek’s death. He’d almost lost him once and Stiles would rather fall on a blade himself then ever let that happen again.

“Wait!” Stiles shouted and pushed around Derek, ignoring the man’s confused and angry protests. 

“Stiles what the hell are you doing?” 

Stiles doesn’t answer Derek, he stood in front of Peter with his hands held into the air in a typical surrender move. “Peter.” 

“Stiles.” Peter grinned, clearly the man knew exactly what Stiles was about to do.

Well at least that made one of them.

“Tell your men to drop or sheath their weapons.”

“And why would I want to do a thing like that?” Peter was playing now, Stiles could tell because the tone of his voice had gotten just a little bit lighter, not as soft as it had been though, which meant that Stiles was now entertaining him.

“Because I will leave with you and no blood will be shed. Also, I won’t try to cut my own throat the moment your back is turned.”

Derek roared, actually roared, and reached out to grab Stiles’ arm so that Stiles’ back was against his chest.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?!” Derek whispered harshly in his ear.

“I’m trying to save your life.” Stiles whispers back, “As long as you’re alive, there’s the chance that you can rescue me, but if you die…Derek I can’t go through that again, I can’t.” Stiles voice breaks and turns his head away, ashamed of his weakness at this crucial point.

He see’s Peter watching them with a look of baffled amusement.

Asshole found them funny. He was amused at their pain and suffering and heartache.

Assssshole.

Derek doesn’t say anything, just squeezes Stiles’ arm to the point of bruising before letting go and stepping one big step backwards.

Stiles took that as the reluctant consent that it was and glared back at Peter.

“So? Do we have an accord?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t want to upset my soon-to-be husband, so I’ll concede to your demands, this time. You will come back with me and we shall be wedded in two days and your…ex will be allowed to go free. I’m assuming he has a boat nearby?”

Stiles exhaled sharply at Peter’s leering and the very idea that Derek could be an ex anything and nods in defeat.

Before he could do anything else, he was roughly grabbed and thrown behind Peter, the horse was uncomfortable to ride on, mostly because the saddle was only made for one and now he had to try to share it. Well, Stiles said sharing, but since Peter had never shared in his life that just meant that Stiles was seated on the ass part of the horse. His poor bum. Stiles took one last look at Derek and harshly swallowed a gasp. 

Derek’s eyes had changed into a deep red, so dark that it made them look like fresh blood had spilled into his eyes, staining them. His face was set in an expression so livid that for the first time since Stiles could remember, he felt afraid, not necessary of Derek, but at what Derek could be capable of.

He was also hugely turned on, which was just awkward for all kinds of purposes right now. 

“Kate?” Peter purrs once he is sure that Stiles wouldn’t be leaping off the horse in one last mad dash to freedom.

“Yes, my King?” 

“I’m putting you in charge of getting this young man safely to his ship; show him all the hospitalities of our kingdom, won’t you?” 

The sickly happy smirk on Kate’s face makes a cold shiver run down Stiles’ spine. He shot a look of terrified worry at Derek who just stared back at him blankly, the anger had seemed to drain from him, making him look a lot more fragile then Stiles had ever seen him and Stiles hated that. He hated that Kate and Peter and all these unworthy people got to see Derek like that right now. Only Stiles should have that privilege and it wasn’t the kind of vulnerability he wanted to see Derek in anyway. 

The only time Derek should look vulnerable was in the bedroom, with Stiles. After many, many hours of sex.

“I will find you.” Derek spoke softly and Stiles smiled weakly back at the promise. Peter scoffed and turned the horse away, leaving the many guards and Derek behind them.

“You better.” Stiles whispered to the wind, somehow knowing that Derek would hear him.

Derek watched until they were out of sight and turned to glare at Kate.

“Your not going to let me go, are you?”

“Of course not sweetie, your death is assured, although I’m betting a bit of torture isn’t off the menu. The King understands my needs after all.” She leered down at him before giving a small nod to one of the guards behind Derek.

Derek knew what was coming, but before the man could knock him out with the flat of his sword Derek screamed, the sound quickly became an inhuman howl that shook the whole damn forest around them and caused the horses to let out screams of terror themselves.

It was a howl to arms, a howl of an Alpha Wolf calling his Betas to his side.

“Hit him now!” Kate screeched as distant howls answered back. The sounds seemed to echo and multiply in the surrounding woods.

Before Derek blacked out he smirked smugly at Kate, he wouldn’t be under her care for long and this time, he wasn’t just going to run away with Stiles, he was going to massacre everyone who stood in his way.

 

\--

 

Three men marched out of the woods; they stood in the small clearing where not ten minutes ago Kate had snatched Derek up after knocking him out.

“Which way do you think they’ve gone?” 

“Why don’t you use your nose and sniff them out?”

“Seriously? We can do that?!”

A loud and greatly exasperated sigh come from the second one, “I really don’t know what Derek was thinking when he decided to bite you two.”

“Oh fuck you man, this is awesome!” The third man answered back and unsheathed his sword, his wrist began to move supernaturally fast as he mock fenced, watching as the blade moved in the air with grace.

“Calm down.” The last man spoke, he was much taller then the other two and was already sniffing around, trying to catch the sent of their Alpha who had been taken.

“Isaac, Boyd.” 

Two of the men stood to attention; they could hear the command in the First Beta’s voice.

Scott grinned, his teeth lengthened and started to glint off the fading light.

“Time for us to find the Alpha and rescue the Alpha’s Mate. Let’s move out and hunt us some humans!”

The answering howls rang joyously through the air.

 

\--

 

Stiles stared dully at the wall in front of him, he knew he was sulking but he really couldn’t give a fuck that he was sulking.

Peter had left him to his room after they arrived and gone to his hide-hole in the wall, his war room, along with Gerard Argent, his second in command, next to Kate and Chris.

Stiles knew he should be concerned about what they were planning, he should also be worried about his general safety, but he really couldn’t be bothered with any of it.

He was positive that Peter hadn’t let Derek go, because if there was one thing that Peter was not, it was stupid.

Peter knew that Derek would cause him nothing but trouble in order to get Stiles back and Stiles knew this. He wished silently to himself that he hadn’t been such a coward back in the woods.

If only he had stood by Derek and fought with him, maybe they could have gotten away or maybe they would have been cut down but at least then he wouldn’t be feeling this sickening sense that he betrayed Derek, for the second time.

He sighed and got up to wash, his face was a gruesome scene of tears and dirt and who knew what else. The cut that Erica had given to his neck had long healed, but the clear water still stung. It was shallow enough that Stiles knew it wouldn’t scar but he couldn’t help but wish that it would. Maybe if he had a disfiguring scar the King wouldn’t want to marry him anymore and would let him go.

As he was cleaning himself up, his door suddenly banged open and two women entered his chambers.

Lydia and Allison came storming in and didn’t even pause as he squeaked and dropped the wet rag and covered himself ineffectively with his hands.

“Stiles! I heard that you were kidnapped earlier, is it true?” Lydia marched up to him and poked him in the chest, making him squeak again.

“Lydia, maybe we should let the prince get dressed first before you interrogate him.” Allison giggled- by god, was nothing sacred anymore?

Stiles blew a raspberry at her which just increased the giggling, oh gods the giggling. Luckily, Lydia decided to heed Allison’s suggestion and backed away a few steps, her arms crossed over her chest which told Stiles that she meant business.

Stiles rolled his eyes, well too bad for her, but he got dressed as quickly as possible into a lively tunic of red. He found himself more fond of it and the other masses of clothes that Peter insisted he wear otherwise, at least when he was in important company, or who Peter decided was important enough.

Red was much more his color, and while blue might come as a very, very close second he only had to think of Derek’s newly colored eyes and shiver. Yes, red was much more nice on him then white or gold.

“So spill.” Lydia demanded and Stiles couldn’t help but laugh, surprising them.

The two women in front of him had befriended him months ago when he had first stepped into the castle. Lady Lydia was a born noble woman who had an asshole of a husband named Jackson.

Stiles didn’t really know why she had decided to befriend him, but she liked to say that she took notice of his presence the moment he and her husband meet for the first time. Jackson had walked up to him and flat out called him the King’s whore, so Stiles had decked him, laying him out cold on the stone floor.

Apparently Lydia respected that and afterwards declared to everyone that the new prince was under her protection and companionship.

No one objected, not even Jackson.

Allison was her maidservant, although you’d never guess that by the way Lydia and Stiles treated her like an equal. She was very kindhearted and beautiful woman.

If Stiles had ever been attracted to the ladies, he would have fallen hard for the both of them. Luckily for him, and his continued sanity, they made much better friends.

Stiles sat down in the middle of the bed after dressing. His knees pulled in close to his chest with his arms wrapped around them, Lydia and Allison sat side by side in front of him and looked at him expectedly, waiting.

So Stiles told them everything, about Erica, Isaac and Boyd- he told them about Derek and then he told them what he had done.

“You are a moron.” Lydia said, her tone clearly stating ‘you are a dumbass as well.’

“I know.” He moaned and ducked his head between his hands.

“You can’t marry the King now!” Allison worried her hands together, her face pinched in sadness. “I mean, sure he’s handsome enough I guess, but you’ve got true love waiting for you and once you have that there’s no going back.”

Stiles frowned at her, Allison’s voice was soft and kind of gloomy, something he rarely heard from her.

“Ally? What’s up, you seem—I don’t know.”

Allison ducked her head and blushed, honest to gods blushed-like a red rose.

“She met a man.” Lydia smirked, a twinkle in her eye.

“Lydia!” Allison wailed and buried her head into Stiles’ pillow.

“Wow really? Who’s the lucky guy?” Stiles asked, for a moment focusing on his friends’ situation instead of his own. That explained the blush although not the gloomy air.

“I saw him two days ago at the market in the next town over.” Allison mumbled into the fabric of the pillow.

“Wait a second.” Stiles blinked rapidly. “You saw him?! Does that mean you haven’t even spoken to him?”

Lydia chortled. “Nope, she just stared at him like a creeper. The guy didn’t even see her because she was too embarrassed to walk over and talk to him. I also kind of doubt he’s a local since we’ve never seen him before and I know the surrounding towns pretty well.”

Stiles shook his head slowly, “Wow—just wow. At least Derek and I have actually met!”

Allison just smacked him with the pillow she’d been hiding in and scolded him.

“I’m sure you’ll see him again though.” Stiles was quick to reassure, he didn’t want anyone else to feel as he did at the moment and if Allison could find love, then he would encourage it- even if the circumstances of their not-meeting wasn’t the best. “Love works in mysterious ways. I mean look at me and Derek! I thought he was dead and then bam! He was suddenly back in my life and trying to whisk me off into the sunset.”

“So back on topic then.” Allison quirked a smile at him, gratitude shinning in her eyes at his words. 

“Right, don’t think we haven’t noticed that pretty piece of metal on your finger.” Lydia gleamed, her eyes on Stiles engagement ring. Stiles’ refused to take it off and chose to ignore Peter’s huffing about it.

Stiles blushed, “Yea…Derek put it on me, after he officially asked me to marry him.”

Both of the girls cooed and asked to see the ring, Stiles was reluctant to move it from his finger, but relented after receiving the death stare from Lydia.

He pulled it off slowly and handed it over, watching as the girls admired and awed at the ring, he couldn’t help the feeling of affection from growing inside of him. The three of them had truly become close and a large part of him was tempted to ask them if they wanted to go with him and Derek when they went off to sea. Well, after Derek came for him again that was. 

But while Lydia might have a well rounded sense of adventure she did truly love Jackson and her life as a high born Lady. She was happy being a noblewoman and he couldn’t take that away from her, even if by some chance she said yes. He knew that she would never be completely happy if she left her life behind to join them.

Besides he wasn’t sure that Derek could like it if Jackson decided to come along, those two would clash even worse then Lydia and ugly clothing.  
Allison…well it was kind of a toss up with her. Her whole family severed the King and the royal line for years, long before she had been born. 

He disliked her family on principle since most of them were psychos and their jobs mostly included torture and interrogation as well as being personal advisors to the linage. Allison was the only one sane enough not to go in that line of work. They had her father and crazy aunt for that. Thankfully, Allison’s dad had decided when his daughter had been born that she wouldn’t go in the usual work for the King and instead got her employed as a castle maid instead. It was simple work, but she pulled it off like no other; Stiles knew that if she left, the castle household would fall apart without her.

Allison had something of a wild streak in her though, and she would do well as a pirate, possibly too well because Stiles had no doubt she’d try for captain in a few years if possible. But with this new addition to her love life, or lack therefore she might not want to leave the area, at least not until she talk to the young man she had become infatuated with.

So Stiles didn’t ask them, he just took back the ring when they finished exclaiming over it and put it back on then got up to his feet.

“I’m going to talk to Peter now.” He announced, rather suddenly he knew, but he had been thinking about it while Lydia had been fondling his ring and he knew it was something that he just had to do.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Allison asked with concern.

Stiles shrugged, “Not really but I need him to know that I won’t be wedded to him. I let him drag me back here because I was concerned about Derek, but I have no intention of marrying him. I’d rather die.”

Lydia snorted, “Dramatic as always.”

“What can I say? Love makes you do crazy things.” Stiles grinned, a sad but rather true statement.

 

\--

 

“He’s a tough one to crack isn’t he?” Gerard Argent sneered as he picked put down a bloodied knife and examined another, testing the sharpness.

Kate smirked and upped the voltage for the sixth time in the past hour, a chocked off howl of pain came from the rack in front of them as Derek struggled to free himself from the chains that bound him.

“Aren’t the chains a little much for the mongrel?”

“No Daddy.” Kate turned off the machine for a moment so that she could speak over the sounds of pain and fury. “He hasn’t changed, but I’m sure he’s one of the wolves.”

Gerard frowned. “Are you sure? I’m positive that our family wiped out all the packs in the kingdom years ago. I doubt the beasts could say hidden for long, their animal instincts would have kicked in sooner or later and we would have had bodies lining the streets.”

Kate shook her head. “He’s been out to sea; he’s some kind of pirate, so I assume he’s been feeding his bloodlust that way.”

Gerard nodded thoughtfully. “That would make sense.” He bared crooked teeth in a sick parody of a smile. “Well done daughter. Even if he isn’t a beast, the King has ordered his death. So either way we are getting rid of him, but if he truly is a beast—well, we can always take our sweet time with him.”  
Kate actually squealed and turned back to Derek who had been glaring at them darkly. “Did you hear that my sweet mutt? We get to play for a bit longer before you die. Maybe I should stall your death until after the royal wedding?”

Derek clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes, hate shinning in the reddish globes.

“Oh, didn’t know that did you? The wedding is to be held tomorrow. That sweet piece of ass that you seem so fond of will have no choice in the matter. Not that he’ll live long enough anyway, but I think Peter’s willing to have one spin of that bitable butt before he slits his throat. After all…the death of the favored prince of the country would be so devastating, and on his wedding night too!” Kate fakes a sorrowful wail as Derek started to roar in rage and madness. “The whole kingdom will have no choice but to declare war, and our divine King will go to battle in the name of his dead husband. Maybe our King will feel generous and let you see his head before we kill you.”

Kate and Gerard began to laugh as Derek started to pull frantically at his chains, uncaring of the blood that poured from his wrists, and the desperation and despair that filled his eyes.

 

\--

 

“Peter we need to talk.” Stiles walked into his office, interrupting and ignoring Chris Argent who had been in the middle of a report.

Peter rolled his eyes good naturally and waved Chris away, which just made Chris looked like he’d swallowed a lemon. For a second, Stiles thought he was going to protest, but instead he did his King’s bidding and walked out the door, but not before sending Stiles a rather scalding sneer.

Looks like someone doesn’t like anyone interrupting his alone time with his highness. Stiles shudders at the thought of Allison’s father having an affair with Peter, it wasn’t like he cared if they were having some kind of relationship, but he couldn’t help but feel for Allison.

Peter as a step-father figure was just creepy.

Not that being his husband wasn’t creepier, but Stiles was kind of in fault about that himself so he couldn’t really bitch too much about it, he just had to fix it.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what we need to talk about.” Peter said, sarcasm practically dripping from his tongue, “Unless you want to change our wedding colors? I personally think white and gold are prefect. They’re so—virginal.”

“Okay one, that’s just gross, two, I actually have a preference of red and black, but that’s not what I came to talk to you about.” Stiles took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m not marrying you.” He said as seriously as he could.

“Oh yes you are.” 

Stiles glared, “Uh, no Peter, I’m not.”

Peter rolled his eyes but the smile on his face didn’t even shift. 

“Yes you are, and do you want to know why? Because if you don’t, then I promise you the last thing you will see before I bed you will be your dear Derek’s head on a silver platter as a wedding gift. Now, do you need visuals or are we done?”

Stiles’ jaw dropped and his complexion paled dramatically.

“You promised me that you would let him go.” He cried, fear for Derek clear in his eyes mixing with the hatred he had for Peter.

Peter sighed dramatically. Stiles’ wasn’t fooled; he knew the guy was getting off on this. “And you were the poor sap who believed me.”

“Well, I didn’t really.” Stiles grimaced, “I just hoped that I could give you the benefit of the doubt this once.”

Peter just stared at him, as if to say ‘really? You can’t be serious? Me? Are we still talking about the same person here?’

“So you have Derek in the dungeons then?” Stiles asked, trying to seem unaffected, but he knew he didn’t pull it off that well.

Peter snorted, “Like I’d be stupid enough to have him in rescue distance. Here’s what’s going to happen.” Stiles took a step back as Peter got up and sashayed his way around the desk to stand barely a foot away from him.

“You won’t try to escape or rescue that oaf of a beast; you will be compliant and not make a fuss on our wedding day. If you do this, I will let him go.”  
Stiles stared in the King’s cold, hard eyes.

“No you won’t.” 

Peter’s grin was feral, “No, no I won’t.”

“You think you’re so clever don’t you?” Stiles spat, “But in reality your nothing but a little man in a big crown. Derek is ten times the man you could ever hope to become and I don’t care what you say, Derek will come for me and will rip your throat out before your precious Argents get within ten feet of us, and I won’t be silent, the kingdom will know what it’s oh so wonderful King is really like.”

Rage filled Peter’s face, his eyes almost seemed to glow a faded dull red. “You will regret saying that, boy.” Peter spat. “I won’t have need for you before the week is out, so if you value your life then you better show some respect or I will beat it into you.”

Stiles snorted. Not intimated in the least. “You could try, but I’m more well liked by your people and nobility then you could have hoped for so whatever your plan was it kind of backfired in that regard, so try it you dick.”

Peter stormed out of the room a second later, his eyes bled murder as he went to the only person that he could kill at the moment without repercussion. There were three long gashes along the cheek of his face, the blood slowly flowing down and staining his collar.

Stiles stood still in the room as Peter left, his hands cupping his bloodied nose and a look of surprised vexation on his face.

Well, he’d done what he had come in for, he’d gotten to see Peter’s true face, got to tell him off and gotten his own hit in when Peter had smacked him. He hoped his nails had dug in hard enough to leave scars and that it hurt for a long time coming.

Still…what was he going to do now?

 

 

\--

 

 

“The scent stops here.” Isaac remarked.

Scott nodded as he looked right and left, mentally deciding which way they would go.

“They have a hunter with them, whoever it is isn’t that experienced though since it took them this long to decide to use scent dispels. I would bet you a week’s worth of gold that they have him close.”

Boyd smirked down at the smaller man. “A week’s worth? Well, that sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it Isaac?”

The two new Betas looked at their older and more experienced First.

Scott smirked. “Okay, maybe I was wrong; I believe I see exactly why Derek bit the both of you.”

The men laughed for a few minutes, Scott was actually kind of surprised by how well he got along with the new pups, especially since he hadn’t realized that Derek would be bringing more then his Mate on board the ship. Instead they had three new pack members and it was surprisingly nice.

“So we are to rescue the small princeling after we rescue the Alpha?” Boyd asked, wanting to clarify things.

“Yes, you aren’t properly trained yet, but Prince Stiles is our Alpha’s mate, if anything were to happen to him…” Scott’s voice drifted off meaningfully.

“Well, it’s a good thing that Erica’s plan didn’t work then, isn’t it?” Isaac said bouncing on the balls of his feet like an over eager puppy.

Scott snorted in ill humor. “Yes, its best that it turned out well for everyone involved.” He looked thoughtful for a second. “Well, except for Erica and the King, those two aren’t going to be very happy.”

“Umm dude, isn’t Erica—like puppy chow?” Isaac asked.

Scott smirked, “Like I said, it didn’t really work out for her. If she hadn’t threatened to knife Stiles in the throat and actually cut him, she probably would have become pack like you two.”

Boyd and Isaac shared a significant look and shuddered simultaneously.

Scott huffed a laugh and went back to tracking, signaling the others to join him.

“We should hurry, I heard the wedding will be happening tomorrow, we have to get the both of them to safety before that happens. Not that Derek would really care, he’d still take Stiles away, wedded to that dick or not.”

They were silent after that, using all their wolfy powers to their fullest in the quest for their captive Alpha.

“Hey, I think I found something.” Isaac called out, his gaze firmly on a small disturbance on the ground, Scott and Boyd quickly joined him. 

Scott crouched down and inhaled deeply. “It’s a hidden passageway, smells like it goes deep, probably a hidden torture chamber that the King created for his pet Argents.”

“So, do we just go in there and snatch and grab?” Isaac asked, his eyes already flashing a bright golden color, the anticipation was felt all the way into his very bones.

“Yes.” Scott answered.

Isaac looked at him, “Will this Alpha truly keep his word to help me track down my family’s killer?”

Scott nodded, “Derek keeps his word. Once he and Stiles are safely away from this Kingdom, we will all help you with your vengeance.”

Boyd snorted, “If we are done talking ladies? I think-“

He was interrupted by the sound of a lone, painful howl that practically vibrated through the air.

It was coming from the hidden entrance, deep inside.

Without pause all three Betas broke through the barrier and ran towards their dying Alpha.

 

\--

 

 

“Come on sweetie. You know you want it.” Kate cooed as she lifted the whip again and again.

Derek grunted as the harsh leather sliced into the skin of his back, he’d been there for what felt like forever now and it was taking its toll on him.

That didn’t mean that he was going to stop mouthing off though.

“Fuck off bitch.” 

Kate frowned and threw the whip on the floor in disgust. Not once had the beast cried out for mercy or begged her to stop and Kate was use to getting what she wanted, when she wanted. To be denied was playing havoc with her sanity, limited though it may be.  
Before anything else could be said or done the King came storming in, slamming his feet on the hard stone floor.

His face was twisted in an expression of fury and was as red as a ripe tomato. He stopped about an inch from Derek, his mouth twisted in a parody of a smirk. The dried blood on his face from Stiles’ nails made him look deranged enough that even Kate stepped backwards, uncertain of this development.

“Your little bitch thinks he’s smart doesn’t he? I really can’t tell you how much I’m going to enjoy chocking the life out of him; his big brown eyes widening as the breath leaves his body. Maybe I’ll even do it midfuck and as his body lies there stiff and cold I’ll just continue to rip into his small cherry asshole. Maybe I’ll even have your rotting corpse up there as a wedding gift, laying on the floor beside my bed, close enough to know that you’re there, but far enough that the last thing he see’s is my face and not yours.”

Derek’s roar was so loud that the very stone vibrated beneath there feet.

“YOU. WILL. NO. TOUCH. HIM!!”

Peter smirked, “Too late.” Then reached out and cranked the machine to its maximum setting.

There were literally sparks in the air as Derek’s body jerked with the force of the electricity running through it.

Derek managed one loud scream of pain and anger, of desperation and mourning before his heart gave out.

Peter was still smirking as he gazed at the corpse of the man who had tried to foil his plans, Kate sniffed to the side of him, annoyed that her toy had died before she could break him.

Peter didn’t stay much longer after that, only informed Kate that he wanted the body disposed of, but to make sure to cut off the head so he could give it to Stiles’ as a wedding present.

It was as Kate was walking towards Derek’s body with a large clever that the Betas came bursting to the scene. Ready to dish out some violence on behalf of their Alpha.

 

\--

 

“What the fuck are we going to do now?” Isaac whined as he and Boyd carried the dead Alpha out of the dudgeon, Scott was fidgeting in front of them.

“I really don’t think we have a lot of options. Derek’s dead and Stiles is most likely going to be murdered on his wedding night and we’ll all probably be hunted down by the Argents since I’m pretty sure I killed the blonde one that was going to hack and slash at Derek’s body.”

Scott sighed before slotting his fingers through his hair, “There is one place we can try, we need to resurrect Derek and I can only think of one guy for the job, the only thing is that Derek hates the guy and he won’t be pleased that we went to him for help.”

“Dude I’m pretty sure he won’t care as long as he isn’t dead.” Isaac pointed out, Boyd nodding along with him.

“You don’t know Derek.” Scott said exasperated, “Common sense like that doesn’t work with him; his pride is second only to his love to the prince.”

Despite the threat of anger from their still dead Alpha it was decided between them that they would go meet this magic maker that Scott was sure would help them.

It actually didn’t take them long to get to Deaton’s small hut, it was only half an night’s walk away from the hole in the ground that Derek had been in.

Scott was the one to knock on the door as the other two shifted impatiently behind him, Derek’s body still limp and silent between them.

Deaton took his time answering his door and to their luck, he didn’t immediately close it as soon as he saw who was standing in front of him.

“Ah- young Scott, I was wondering when you would come to visit me. I’m assuming you need my help?”

Scott sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, “Yea Doc, Derek’s got himself in a bit of a mess and I was hoping you could help out.”

Deaton raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Derek…the same Derek who told me under no circumstances was I to get anywhere close to his pack or he’d rip my heart out with his claws?”

“Umm…yes?”

“Come inside.”

They all went inside, Scott’s face was still the picture of embarrassed his while the other two new betas were finding the situation kind of comical, well not so much while their new boss was still a dead weight between them, but the way that Scott was acting reminded them of a puppy who pissed on a carpet and was still getting hugs and kisses despite the mess.

“Lay him on the table, there.” Deaton pointed to a large wooden table that was cleared except for some waxed candles in the four corners, and some suspicious stains that looked a lot like blood. It was better to look at those stains then the other ones though because some of those stains kind of resembled cum stains and that was just…all three betas shivered in disgust all at once as the same thought skimmed through their thoughts. Ewww.

“I’m assuming that you will be willing to tell me what has been happening if I do this.” Deaton said; it wasn’t really a question although you could interpret it as one.  
Scott nodded slowly. “Derek might not like it, but if you are willing to do this for us despite the bad blood between our clans, then it is only fair. How are you going to bring him back anyway?”

The witch doctor smirked. “Oh, I just have to perform a miracle.”

With that Deaton flew into action, pouring foul smelling concoctions together while also gathering several instruments.

“Scott, you hold his head straight while the other two restrain his body, we must make sure that he swallows every last drop and I don’t want his seizing body to mess this up.”

“Wait, he’s going to seize?!”

“Now Scott.”

“Right, sorry.”

Deaton pulled out a long tube and placed it in Derek’s slack mouth, pushing it in until it was near the back of the throat.

“Ready?” He asked the others, but didn’t want for any confirmation before he poured the steaming, smelly mess down the drain.

What happened next surprised everyone. Well expect for Deaton, but only because he’d been expecting it.

It took two, maybe three seconds for Derek’s whole body to seize. Luckily, Boyd and Isaac were holding down his limbs with all their newfound strength so he didn’t go flying off the table.

Derek’s eyes snapped open, flashing between blue and red, before settling in an almost reddish purple, the whites of his eyes stood out as well and his complexion, which had been a waxy white, quickly turned back into its natural tan. He shoved everyone off the moment the last of the liquid drained down his throat into his body.

“What the fuck was that?!” He screamed, his whole body was still shaking from the adrenaline that came from coming back from the dead, well almost dead. He’d been on the edge of the afterlife, but only because of who, and what, he was that Deaton’s potions worked. If he had been totally human, he wouldn’t have had the slightest chance of coming back at all.

“That-” Deaton got up from the floor and dusted himself off with a dignity that the other three thrown men couldn’t repeat, even if they tried. “-was you being a pain in my ass and almost leaving your poor little boy to a fate that’s worse then death.” Deaton paused, “Well, I’m pretty sure that death is still on the table if you don’t hurry along.” He then walked off, leaving the room entirely and washing his hands of them.

Derek stared after the witch doctor uncomprehendingly for a moment before his memories caught up with the rest of him. He whipped his head around and stared down at his betas.

“What day is it!?” He demanded.

“Uh…the day of the wedding? I’m pretty sure it’s scheduled to start in a few hours. It was already nightfall when we found you and morning is barely an hour away.  
You were kind of dead for a while, but the doc here fixed you up so…you want to leave now?” Isaac asked, kind of timid-like even while he fingered his sword, sure that he could beat the Alpha in front of him if needed, maybe. Probably. 

Not.

“Scott!” Derek barked, and Scott quickly skipped to the front, “We’re storming the castle, right now.”

“Right now?” Scott asked skeptically.

“Yes. Right. Now.” Derek punctured each of his words with a low threatening growl.

“Alright then.” Scott chirped and turned to the other two. “You heard him men, we’re gonna storm a castle.”

“We’re all going to die aren’t we?” Boyd asked calmly.

Isaac and Scott nodded while Derek ignored them, “Most likely.”

Boyd shrugged, “Okay.”

 

\---

 

“He’ll come for you, you know that’s the truth.” 

Stiles nodded absently as he was being fitted into his wedding garments, for his wedding with King Peter.

Stiles thought it was totally justified if he spent over an hour freaking out, at least he calmed down enough after Lydia brought over a flask filled with the vilest concoction he’d ever had.

It did the trick though, he’d only drank about one-fourth of the liquid and he was already buzzing a pleasant high.

“I’m not sure what we can do about the bruise.” Allison sighed as she powdered his face lightly, “I can make it more unnoticeable, but anyone really looking at you is going to see it.”

Stiles lifted one shoulder in half a shrug. “Its fine, I don’t really care.”

“Well we do!” Lydia said hotly. “I mean, who does that fuck face think he is?! Hitting you like that?!”

“Uh…the King?” Stiles said slowly, looking at her like she was about to attack him if she didn’t like what he said.

“That’s no excuse! Your pretty face should only be red like that if you’re blushing, not because of broken blood vessels.” Lydia then started to mumble death threats under her breath as she stitched a few last minute touches on his vest.

“Touché.” Stiles sighed and looked out the window. “I can’t help but wish we had more time. Now that Peter’s confirmed that he has Derek under lock and key, I don’t know how to get out of this without being accused of offing the King.”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure you could get away with that, as long as you have Lydia, Jackson and most of their posse with them. Though you may need to watch out for my family, especially my dad.” Allison shrugged, “He’s kind of attached, the gods only know why.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s the blowjobs.” Lydia said absently.

“LYDIA!!” Both Stiles and Allison shouted in unison. Mortified at their friend’s candidness. 

Stiles moaned, “I didn’t need that imagine in my head, I really didn’t!”

Allison just gagged dramatically and wrinkled her nose like she’d smelled something really, really bad.

Lydia just shook her head at their hysterics. “Oh come off it, we all know it’s true.”

“Well yea.” Allison said, “But that doesn’t mean we talk about it! That’s my father after all and I’d rather not think of him in those kinds of positions; it tends to scar a girl off anything sexual for life.”

“Think of your boo then.”

Allison got a far off look in her eye, obviously daydreaming about the man in the market now.

“By the way you speak of him I doubt a little thing like imprisonment would keep your man from you.” Lydia assured Stiles as she got up to inspect her handiwork.

“I think even Derek would have trouble escaping from wherever hideout Peter hid him in.” Stiles snorted. “Although…he’s been a pirate for the past year so who knows what he’s learned in that small amount of time, maybe he learned to pick locks and such.”

“Possibly.” Lydia agreed before she consulted Allison on their dresses for the wedding. Lydia wanted to wear one of her more fanciful dresses even if it wasn’t really an occasion to celebrate, but Allison thought that something a bit more plain and subtle would suit them best, in the case that a large fight broke out or something. They might need to make a run for it and a dress that tailed the ground with bows and ribbons wouldn’t do them much good.

“You know she’s right.” Stiles said and Lydia sighed in disappointment, but conceded in the end. It didn’t take the girls long to get ready and before they knew it they were all done up, just as they were beginning to wonder if they should go wait outside the chapel there was a loud knock on the door.  
Allison got up to answer it, keeping the door open only a small bit so that the person couldn’t see into the room.

“Dad?” Allison asked when she saw her father staring at her with furrowed brows, dressed in one of his more lively outfits.

“Ah, Allison.” Chris said, “What are you doing here?” The clear question of why she was in the prince’s chambers went without saying.

“Oh.” Allison blushed, which really wasn’t helping her case if the suspicious gleam in her father’s eyes was anything to go by. “Lady Lydia wanted to be the one to help the prince into his royal garments for the wedding. She wanted to see if any adjustments needed to be done. Good thing too since the hem of the tunic was torn a little bit. I assume that one of the servants got a little overzealous bringing it to the chambers earlier.”

“Hmmm.” Chris pushed open the door a little more, ignoring his daughter’s scowl and saw that what she said was true, both Lady Lydia and the prince were staring at him with annoyed expressions on their faces.

“What brings you here, father?” Allison asked, irritated by her father’s suspicious behavior.

“The ceremony will begin soon, the King sent me to escort his…bride-to-be to the alter.”

“I can get there myself, thank you very much.” Stiles seethed and Chris smirked at the prince’s obvious irritation at what was clearly another power play by the King.

“Oh, but the King would worry if I left you out of my sight. There are rumors of threats that hide in the shadows, we wouldn’t want our precious princeling to get hurt now, would we?” 

“Fine.” Lydia answered before Stiles could work up the steam to rant at the obvious overtones of a threat. “We will all escort the prince to the church.”

Chris was obviously biting his tongue against what he wanted to say and just settled for nodding tensely.

As they marched down the corridor Lydia squeezed Stiles’ hands. 

“It’ll all be okay, I just know it. Remember to not lose faith.” She whispered in his ear before she backed off and put on her own mask of haughty nobility that most only got to see except for her closest friends.

Stiles nodded slowly, taking her words to heart. He had to have faith that Derek would rescue him, it was really all he had now and no matter what he couldn’t let that faith—that belief shatter.

Because if it did then that meant that Peter had won and Stiles would be damned if he let that creepy bastard win at anything.

 

\--

 

 

“How many guards do you suppose are out there?”

Isaac peered over the small outlook they were all crouched behind.

“Sixty? Eighty? A whole heck of a lot?!” He hissed down at Scott who just shot him a dirty glare at Isaac’s slightly hysterical tone.

Derek ignored all of them, as he’d been doing since they left Deaton’s hut.

It looked like he hadn’t remained as unaffected by his miraculous resurrection as he portrayed since Boyd had to carry him half-way to the castle. Derek had tried to hold his own weight and snarled whenever the other betas had tried to help him, but by the sixth fall he’d given in to defeat and allowed Boyd’s sizeable arms to help him.

That didn’t mean he hadn’t sulked the rest of the way though.

“Well then, how the hell are we going to get in? How about you Mr. Alpha? Any bright ideas?” 

Derek growled at the insubordinate tone of his newly turned beta, but let it go when he saw how frightened they all looked.

“Look, I know you haven’t had much time to adjust to the changes your bodies are going through and I’m sorry for that.” Derek chose to ignore Scott’s open mouth gape at his Alpha’s unusual apology. “And I know you weren’t asking for this when you accepted my proposition when I turned you, but I appreciate it never the less that you are here.”

“Who are you?” Scott gasped, then shrank down when Derek turned to glower at him, his newly purple/red eyes gleaming with frustration at Scott’s less then helpful questions.

Isaac and Boyd just shuffled their feet, feeling an instinctive need to please the other man. Although they still kept their individual ideals, they found that they didn’t mind following the Alpha’s orders. Maybe years of having to follow Erica had conditioned them; at least their new boss thanked them this time.

“It’s fine.” Isaac said, “So…what now?”

Derek sighed and looked over the ledge himself, he knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to run through the thick cloud of human flesh and grab Stiles before ripping out Peter’s throat.

Then finding a nice, secluded bedroom where he could claim Stiles as his mate and husband.

Many, many times, in many different positions, for days on end.

“We need a distraction, something that will keep the majority of the men occupied or even make them run off so that they won’t come after us…any ideas?” Derek asked thoughtfully, staring down at the thugs and guards that filled the courtyard below.

His mate was only a few yards, passed the men and the large doors and into the large chapel beyond. Stiles was waiting for him, and Derek hated to disappoint him.

Plus Derek really didn’t appreciate that Peter was the one who was standing next to Stiles, ready to marry the sweet boy in holy matrimony.

It was a good thing that most would believe that Derek’s species was unholy, that meant that Derek really didn’t give a damn about any ceremonies that the King preformed in that church. They didn’t mean crap since Derek knew that Stiles didn’t want to marry the damn manipulative bastard in the first place. All of it was pretty words and false promises- it wasn’t a true mating, like what Derek and Stiles would celebrate together once they got back onto the ship.

“I’ve got an idea, although I’m not sure how much you’ll like it.” Boyd said, drawing Derek from his thoughts, and he nodded for him to continue.

“Well…how about using your alias to our advantage?”

“Alias?” Derek asked, confused.

“Well, other then us, Stiles and the King probably, no one really knows who you really are, they only know you as the Dread Pirate Matt. Why don’t we use that to our benefit? There are outrageous rumors that Matt is not a man, but in fact a demon. So if you play that up we might be able to get through, especially if any of the men down there are superstitious.”

Derek looked thoughtful for a moment as he thought it over before a sneaky and downright unholy look crossed his face.

“Uh-oh.” Scott sighed, he knew that look and he only hoped that this time nothing caught on fire.

 

\--

 

There was fire.

Frantic men ran like headless chickens around the courtyard as screams of terror filled the air. Isaac and Boyd had been voted to masquerade as the Dread Pirate Matt instead of Derek. They debated and argued on a plan for a while longer before deciding on one of the outrageous and insane plans, Derek’s idea of course.

They commandeered a large sheet off one of the villager’s cloth lines and had tossed lots of blood and dirt all over it, making it appear much more sinister then it had before, since the blood was fresh it looked like someone had just been murdered on it. Scott wasn’t happy to be the donor on that front, but he got outvoted.

While they were scaring the shit out of all the guards Derek and Scott were slowly making their way to the doors, out of sight of all the men whose sole attention was on the huge ass figure standing in front of them in a bloody robe and who stood at least 14 feet tall…who had just lit himself on fire.

Well, to be fair, it was Isaac who lit Boyd on fire. Boyd was standing on Isaac’s shoulders- something he wouldn’t have been able to do, but now that they were both of equal strength, it didn’t harm Isaac like it would have had they both been human. This was what gave them the completely unnatural height and girth.

“You think they’ll be alright?” Scott asked Derek as he stared at the burning figure in worry.

Derek nodded, “Yes, they might get a little burnt along the edges, but as long as they don’t drench themselves in the flammable liquid, I doubt much could put them down.”

As they left the chaos behind them Derek took a deep breath and tried to will all his strength to not to fail him now. He still felt weak after whatever the hell Deaton had done to him, but he couldn’t allow that to slow him down.

Not now, not after all this time and after all he and Stiles had been through.

What he hadn’t counted on was that the moment he ripped the doors open, splintering them into the hard stone walls was that the whole chapel would be empty.

No nobles to witness the event, no priest, no Peter…no Stiles.

“What?” Scott questioned and looked around the empty room. “Where is everyone? They should be here…the wedding...”

And then Derek got it, he knew why the chapel was empty.

“It’s over…the weddings already happened. It must have taken place earlier then we thought.” Derek’s voice was deadpan and caused Scott to step a few steps backwards. “That means…Peter has Stiles, right now. Upstairs somewhere…in a room. Alone.”

A loud rumble began to echo in the room, elevating in tone and volume until the very stones around them seem to vibrate with the energy and velocity of the roar.

The other betas outside quickly threw off the still smoldering cloak at the sound, not caring if anyone saw them. Not that many of the guards had stuck around after the terrifying display.

“What’s wrong?” Boyd asked as they stormed inside but didn’t really require an answer after looking around the empty room. “Oh. This is a problem.”

“Well, not really, we just need to get his scent and find him, he couldn’t have gone far.” Isaac sniffed the air around him, moving closer to the alter in order to catch Stiles’ scent. “The odors are still fresh so the ceremony shouldn’t have ended but ten minutes ago, if that.”

Derek didn’t wait on them to catch the scent, instead he ran off the moment Boyd and Isaac ran in, Stiles’ scent already programmed into his brain. He tore through another door and entered the castle, not caring who saw him as he wolfed out completely.

The other three men exchanged glances and took off after him. Determined not to lose sight of him- especially since Derek appeared to have gone feral in his rage.

 

 

\--

 

Stiles couldn’t believe it, he really, really couldn’t.

At first everything had been going alright. While it annoyed Stiles that Chris had to escort him from his room, Lydia and Allison at least protected him from being knifed in the back by the jealous man. They made it to the chapel in short order; no matter how much Stiles had tried to drag his feet.

There was a small crowd of aristocrats mingling around, waiting on him, apparently he was the last to arrive, Stiles guessed that Peter had planned that so that he wouldn’t have the time to make a run for it.

Peter was standing in front of the alter, looking bored, which really?! He could fake some kind of positive emotion or something, although it wasn’t like Stiles wasn’t scowling himself.

Peter was dressed to impress and maybe if Stiles hadn’t already had Derek and maybe if Peter wasn’t such a douche then maybe, maybe, Stiles could find him moderately attractive.

Luckily for everyone involved, besides Peter of course, that wasn’t the case since Stiles did in fact have Derek to come home too and Peter was a complete and utter douche.

The ceremony started quickly after Stiles was pushed none-to-gently by Chris to stand next to Peter. Stiles kept twisting his head to look around the room, in case Derek was hiding in the shadows nearby, waiting to make a dramatic entrance to rescue Stiles and hopefully stab Peter in a very special place.

What could Stiles say? He was a man who took pleasures in the small gestures.

But as Peter encouraged the priest to rush through the vows and still Derek didn’t leap out of the rafters or pillars, a feeling of hopelessness began to grow inside of him.

Where was Derek?

The ceremony was almost over now, Stiles hadn’t been paying any attention to it, but that didn’t seem to stop the priest at all. In fact, Stiles was sure that the old man had no knowledge of who he was even marrying, he was really old and hadn’t once looked up from the book in front of him.

Suddenly the sounds of shouting and running rose just outside the doors.

“Hurry, to the end! Now!” Peter ordered the priest, his hand reaching out and gripping Stiles arm tightly enough to leave bruises. Smart move for him because Stiles had already been bracing himself to make a run for the doors.

“King Peter, do you take Prince Stiles as your husband?” The priest rushed, he had finally raised his eyes and the fear was clear in his eyes as the King gazed down at him with icy fury etched into his face.

“Yes, yes. Hurry up!!”

“Prince Stiles, do you take King Peter as your husband?”

Well Stiles had one thing to say for such a question.

“Hell n-”

Peter snarled loudly and before Stiles could continue his answer the priest rushed over him.

“I pronounce you husbands! You are wedded in the eyes of god and the people!”

Stiles was too shocked to say anything after that. His mouth fell down and he gawked at the priest as Peter let out a triumphant huff.

Stiles was then dragged out of the room in a hurry, he could hear Lydia call out, but try as he might Peter’s grip on him was too tight and he couldn’t try to run to her. Peter’s grip on his arm tightened so much that Stiles feared the man was going to break one of his bones.

Moments later Stiles found himself dragged all the way to the King’s quarters, as the door behind them slammed closed he managed to shake himself out of his shock enough to really struggle.

“What do you think your doing?!” Stiles screamed out and yanked his arm out of Peter’s grip, succeeding only because Peter had finally relaxed his grip after they had entered the room. 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Peter leered, his face looked terrifying right now and Stiles couldn’t stop himself from shaking at the look. “I’m going to bed my new husband of course.”

“How about fuck no!” Stiles replied vehemently and backed away from Peter at a fast pace. Nearly tripping on the carpet, but managing to stay upright. He didn’t doubt that Peter would have been on him in a second if he fell to the floor.

But before Peter could retort to Stiles’ denial or try to molest him someone knocked on the door frantically.

Peter grimaced and stalked to the door, wrenching it open with a snarl at whoever was behind the door.

“What!?” 

Both Gerard and Chris Argent stood in attendance on the other side; their faces were filled with worry and anxiety, and they nearly cringed at their King’s anger. 

“I’m terribly sorry your highness, but something of importance has come up that needs your direct intervention.” Chris spoke hastily.

“What could be more important then my wedding night?” Peter said, his voice dangerously soft.

“There are intruders in the castle.” The way Gerard said it left little to imagine who it was that had entered the castle without permission.

Stiles walked forward, forgetting his earlier distaste of being near Peter when he heard what they said. Could Derek be in the castle right now? Was he running around and looking for him? Was he close by?

“Is it Der-” Stiles was interrupted by Peter, who glared at him coldly.

“It must be those assassins.” Peter said. “They must have decided that tonight is the night to try to kill me and my new consort. Christopher, you are with me. Gerard, I want a guard outside these rooms until I return. I will help deal with these miscreants.”

“Yes my King.” Chris bowed and smirked down at Stiles, who just stared back, his glare was dark enough that Stiles tried to will his thoughts of how much he wished the guy could go drop off a cliff.

Gerard had already left the moment the order had left Peter’s lips. Presumably going to find someone to stand outside the doors to keep Stiles from running off.

“And where are you going, dear husband of mine?” Stiles’ voice practically dripped sarcasm and hate as he turned his attention back to the King.

Peter leered at him. “I’m going to rally the guards my husband, in order to kill these intruders of ours. After that, I’ll be back to finish what we started.” 

Stiles sneered. “You know your going to die today right?” 

Chris stepped forward. “Is that a threat, boy?” His hand was on the hilt of his sword, his fingers practically itching to swipe the sneer off his King’s new husband.

“Oh no.” Stiles shook his head. “It’s not a threat, it’s a goddamn promise.”

“We’ll see whose blood shall be spilled tonight Stiles. I’ll tell you one thing though; I very much doubt it’ll be mine.” Peter said calmly. His eyes bright with psychotic intent as he gazed down at the strong-willed boy.

Stiles watched silently as Peter and Chris left the room, he couldn’t see if Gerard had already returned with some soldiers because they were both blocking his view of the hallway. As the door closed Stiles sprinted forward, hoping that he could sneak off if Gerard hadn’t arrived yet, but the sound of a click told him that he wouldn’t be able to go that way anymore. Peter had locked the door, trapping him in the room.

“Bastard.” Stiles breathed out and slumped forward for few minutes, trying to come up with an idea or plan of escape.

He straightened up quickly as a deafening noise which could only be described as a howl ricocheted in the corridors outside; the stone walls amplified the sound making it sound twice as loud and large as Stiles thought possible.

“What the hell is that?!” Stiles squeaked and walked closer to the door, fear and something else coursed through him as he pressed his ear against the wood, trying to figure out what was happening.

He could hear muffled voices on the other side of the door. Someone- probably a nervous guard was talking fast to someone else. Stiles doubted it was Gerard since that man took his job seriously and wouldn’t tolerate talking. He couldn’t make out any of the words very well, but it was clear that the howl had whoever was outside the door spooked.

Looks like Peter had left the stab first and think later guards for his door. Great, just what they all needed, twitchy pinpricks.

Still it gave Stiles a moment to think, he backed away from the door and looked around the room. There had to be something he could use as a weapon to defend himself. Something he could use to injure the King when he came back so that Stiles could escape.

Stiles’ hoped with all his strength that it wouldn’t be Peter who came through the door, but his mind wouldn’t let him be anything other then realistic right now, even if Derek was here in the castle, Stiles doubted he would be given a moments pause by the soldiers that patrolled the hallways, he’d be kept busy for a while. Peter would no doubt take that precious time to molest and try to kill Stiles.

So Stiles needed something that would hopefully buy some time for Derek to make it to the room to skewer Peter. Maybe chop his balls off too while he was at it. Stiles’ wasn’t picky.

“Ah ha!” Stiles crowed softly as rummaged through the King’s desk and picked up a letter opener that had been forgotten below some important looking papers. Not the most scariest of weapons, but it would do in a pinch.

Because if Derek didn’t come for him in time before Peter came back then Stiles might have to use the letter opener on himself if it failed to subdue Peter. Stiles would rather die then have Peter touch him and he figured that Derek might agree.

Okay that’s a lie, he knew that the last thing that Derek would want was for Stiles to kill himself, but Stiles wasn’t sure he could live in a world that had Peter getting the goods before Derek could.

Another lone howl wrenched the air and Stiles could hear the guards outside the door start to shout in panic and fear. They were useless and seriously-where and what was that sound coming from?! Did Derek let a wolf in the castle as a diversion?

Bonus points for creativity if he had. 

Stiles could hear something in the hallway now, something large and loud and judging by the increasingly high pitched sounds of terror from the soldiers wasn’t something good.

For them at least, hopefully it was good for Stiles.

Stiles stood there, ready as he’d ever be. The letter opener held outward from his chest as the sounds of a battle echoed from the hallway. 

Maybe battle was too weak of a word, slaughter sounded much more accurate if Stiles wanted to be honest. There were screams and tearing noises and…well, Stiles tried not to gag as his imagination ran wild.

Then it got quiet, too quiet.

Stiles crept a little closer to the door, ears straining to hear anything on the other side, but there was nothing, or at least nothing loud enough for him to hear despite his best efforts.

All of a sudden someone or something slammed hard into the door causing it to shudder in distress under the abrupt abuse.

Stiles screamed, he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. He dared anyone to not scream in the face of something like this.

Another crash to the door a few seconds later. Whoever was on the other side must have been carrying a battling ram or something because the wooden door was splintering under the attack.

“Okay, the likelihood of this being a rescue has magnificently lowered.” Stiles whimpered and looked around the room frantically for an escape route, at this point he might even had preferred Peter to be entering the room rather then this new unknown.

Was this the assassins that Peter had been chatting and lying about? Stiles had thought that they had been some con that the King had made up to hide his sinister plots behind, but maybe he’d actually been truthful this time around?

Maybe. 

Naw, the possibility of Peter being honest was too low for that. It was less likely then the sun not rising during the dawn or the moon giving birth to a white haired child of ice.

Not going to happen.

Before Stiles could do anything- like jump out the balcony window or hide under the bed the door finally splintered apart enough for entrance.

Stiles screeched loudly in surprise, the small blade falling from his nerveless fingers as he stared at the intruder.

“Derek?!” 

And indeed it was Derek, but with some not so subtle differences since the last time Stiles had saw him.

Once again his eyes had changed color on Stiles. Instead of the bright crimson they were now a more mellow purple with scarlet over-hint.

There were other changes as well, the fact that he had claws and large, sharp canines was a definite difference. His face had shifted too, the skin and facial muscles were more animalistic and the all around shape of it was almost unrecognizable.

Stiles’ beloved eyebrows had fled as well.

Despite all this, Stiles didn’t hesitate a second more when Derek nodded in confirmation. He flung himself forward, letting Derek catch him so he wouldn’t fall to the ground.

“You colossal idiot.” Stiles whispered, his voice chocked filled with joy and anger. “Did you seriously just storm a castle for me?” He kept a chant in his head that he wouldn’t cry, he wouldn’t cry- Stiles’ was bawling instead.

“Yes.” Derek growled out, the words seemed to have a hard time getting around his rather large teeth so it sounded more animistic then usual.

“Thought so.” Stiles leaned forward and pressed his lips to Derek’s in a passionate kiss, not caring at all about the rather sharp fangs. He just gently caressed them with his tongue which Derek seemed to appreciate a lot judging by the moan that left his mouth.

Derek kissed back just as hard and this time it was Stiles’ turn to moan as Derek’s tongue came into play and licked frantically over Stiles’ lips and teeth. Not to mention the fun tongue battle that ensued where everyone came out the winner.

But Derek pulled away, far too soon if anyone wanted to ask Stiles’ opinion on the matter.

“Wait-no.” Stiles complained and tried to pull Derek in for another round of the glorious tongue war, but Derek kept moving away.

Although the way his pupils were blown and the redness of the flush that covered his ears and cheeks told a different story. Not to mention the way he just stared at Stiles spit slicked lips, it was clear he didn’t really want to pull away, but he was more aware of the situation they were in then Stiles currently was.

And he may or may not have still been riding the Alpha frenzy.

“Hold on.” Derek groaned out and put even more distance between them. Stopping them from frantically using the bed right next to them. Priorities, got to hate them.

“We need to get out of here. Isaac and Boyd may have scared off the majority of the guards from the castle but there are still plenty around that I’d rather not get in a conflict with.” Derek paused, “Well, that’s not entirely true. I don’t want to fight them now that I’ve found you. Pretty sure I would have liked to rip some of them limb from limb before though.”

Stiles gaped at his fiancé for a moment before he moved forward, his glare just daring Derek to move away from him again. His arms moved and began to flare in the air to empathize what he was trying to get across now that his brain had caught up with him.

“Yes, let’s talk about that! What the hell Derek?! I mean seriously, what.the.hell? Were you going to tell me about…whatever the fuck is going on with you and just who you are?” Stiles glared at Derek’s sheepish expression. “What you are?!”

“I was going to tell you, it’s just…there was never the prefect time and I wanted to get our fortune and lives situated before I broke the news to you. I figured it was something that shouldn’t be just sprung up but-Stiles!” Derek whined suddenly and reached out with grabby hands, begging for Stiles to accept, to love and not be afraid.

Stiles sighed, exhausted by everything. He knew that he should be a lot more angry and scared then he was actually feeling right now. Derek wasn’t human- that much was clear and he may never have been in the first place. Stiles had known him for years and Derek never sought fit to tell him the most deepest secrets that he hid in himself and that hurt Stiles deeply, but…maybe Stiles could understand a little why Derek had hesitated to tell him.

Stiles just hoped that this was Derek’s darkest secret because he didn’t know how he’d be able to deal with anything more outlandish then having a fiancé that was part beast.

Stiles walked forward until he stood in front of him and took Derek’s hands into his own, cradling them gently while also glaring with exasperated eyes at Derek’s face, which had finally smoothed back into his more human face.

The eyebrows were back, hallelujah.

The only thing that hadn’t gone back to normal were his eyes, Derek’s eyes were still that newly discovered shade, although now that Stiles was staring straight at them they were more reddish then they had been a second ago. Still had some shade of purple in them though.

“Derek…what are you exactly?” Stiles asked gently.

Derek cleared his throat nervously but before he could speak someone else spoke for him.

“He’s a werewolf, my dearest husband.”

Derek whirled around fast, his face once again morphing into its more animalistic features. He pushed Stiles behind him, not wanting his mate to be in sight of Peter.

Peter stood alone in the archway; he completely ignored the broken pieces of the now busted door that were scattered around his feet. Strangely enough, his sword was still buckled in its sheath and he made no move to remove it.

“And just how do you know that?” Stiles couldn’t help but ask, his curiosity getting the better of him. The low growl from Derek told him he didn’t appreciate Stiles talking to the crazy King, or maybe it was because Peter had called him husband. Probably both knowing Derek.

“Well-that’s kind of a long story.” Peter smirked. “Why don’t I shorten it a bit?” 

And before their eyes Peter transformed, his clothes ripped off his body and hair began to grow in abundance, he grew until he towered over both Stiles and Derek and his bones snapped and skin rippled, until a monster stood in the same space that Peter just occupied.

“Ooookay…that’s probably what I would have suspected a werewolf to have looked like.” Stiles said shakily. Derek actually let out a whimper at the wolf in front of him before shaking off his fear and going back to growling fiercely.

The werewolf-Peter? Actually smirked with its huge muzzle, large teeth glisten with saliva as it dripped down onto its chest. 

“Stiles run.” Derek growled out.

“Wait-what?! Where am I supposed to go? The only exit is conveniently being blocked by large and hairy over there in case you haven’t noticed!”

Peter snarled, clearly not liking the comment about being hairy, even if it was true.

“And just why is Peter a werewolf?! And you?! Seriously, I want answers!” Stiles cried out. He knew it probably wasn’t the best time, but he was confused and afraid and still kind of horny from the earlier reunion kiss.

“Stiles!” Derek barked out and not a moment too soon because Peter finally had enough of being ignored and roared out a challenge that Derek barely had time to accept before they were clashing in a fight of tooth and claw.

Stiles yelled and fell to the ground, rolling out of danger as Derek and Peter tore at each other. Stiles’ managed to snag his fallen dagger, letter opener, and make a run for the door, shooting Derek worried looks because while Derek did look fierce, Peter looked ten times more scarier and meaner and Stiles didn’t know if Derek would win this fight.

Derek yelped in pain as he was thrown across the room, a large wound on his stomach where Peter had just torn into him. His hands clutched his front- clearly trying to keep his guts inside rather then out.

Stiles gagged and stopped trying to escape, he couldn’t leave Derek, not now and not like this. 

It was time.

Peter’s back was turned to the door, clearly he didn’t think Stiles or anyone else that came through the doorway was dangerous enough to hurt him. They weren’t the threat, it was Derek, and right now Peter was about to eliminate that threat by cutting him up into little pieces.

Well fuck that, that was not happening, not while Stiles still breathed air and could move.

Stiles let out a soundless war cry, ran forward and leaped onto Peter’s back.

On hind sight…maybe not the most intelligent idea.

Peter roared and swung around, trying to dislodge Stiles from his back. His claws raked along Stiles’ tunic, causing it to tear, but thankfully the cloth was thick and didn’t allow much damage at this angle.

He was never going to question Lydia’s fashion sense ever again.

Stiles managed to hang on, barely, but he wasn’t letting go until he dealt at least some damage to the deranged werewolf.

He lifted the knife that he somehow managed to keep a hold on, and thrust it hard into Peter’s neck. The knife surprisingly went in deep and there was hardly any resistance at all. It sliced clean through the flesh and lodged deep in Peter’s neck tissues.

Peter went crazy after that and Stiles went flying, miraculously landing in Derek’s open arms. 

His werewolf seemed to have gotten a second wind because a second later, Stiles was on his feet and pushed back towards the wall and Derek was throwing himself at Peter, his claws slashing and with a mightily jerk he snapped Peter’s neck, the blade making things a lot easier.

Stiles stared at Peter’s dead body, lying on the carpeted floor that was quickly becoming stained with blood and other tissues.

“Uh…I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say at the moment.” Stiles admitted, still staring. “I think…I’m a widow now.” 

A second passed, and then Stiles was laughing hysterically, gripping his stomach tight as he laughed, the breath leaving him harshly and causing him to feel dizzy.

Derek had been staring down at the King’s body, as he couldn’t actually believed that he’d done that, but the moment the first sound of hysterically laughter left Stiles’ lips he was next to him, rubbing reassuring hands up and down on his arms and back.

“Sh sh sh, it’s okay Stiles. Let it out.” Derek comforted him as Stiles’ had a mini meltdown. Which hey, he was allowed, he’d had a hard day. Hell he’d had a hard year and now it was all over.

Well mostly.

“Derek.” Stiles breathed out, the laughter finally receding along with the few tears that fell from his eyes. “Derek we’ve got to get out of here. I don’t know if you have a plan or—wait. Did you say Isaac and Boyd are here?! And their on our side?” Stiles asked, confusion shinning from his eyes as he recalled their earlier conversations.  
You know, before the big werewolf showdown.

Derek chuckled, Stiles could hear that it was also tinted with hysteria, but he contained it a lot better then him. 

“Yea, there’s a lot that I haven’t told you. But I promise you that I’ll tell you everything once we get to the ship. Just trust me for now.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “Derek, sweetheart, mysterious wolf of my dreams…I’ve always trusted you. Even before I knew I loved you, I trusted you.”

Derek’s response to that was a series of quick but heated, closed mouth kisses.

“Let’s go.” Derek nipped once more on Stiles’ red and swollen mouth before leading him from the trashed room. “I’m not sure where the others are, I kind of lost them after I ran into the castle. I thought I would have made it in time, but the moment I saw the empty chapel…I may have lost my cool for a moment.”

Stiles snorted, “You mean you went ape shit and left your friends in the dust.”

“Yes that.” Derek blushed, he stopped in the hallway and sniffed, his nose flaring as he sniffed the air in search of their friends and to avoid any more lingering guards.

“Okay, that’s odd. You really need explain the whole wolf thing, because I’m so lost right now you have no idea.” Stiles admitted, although he found it kind of…hot when Derek did something that was clearly beyond the abilities of mere humans. 

Stiles had no idea about this kink, how could he not know this about himself?!

“I’ve caught Scott’s scent.” Derek mumbled, his eyes were slightly troubled. “But there are unknown females with him, he doesn’t seem distressed but...”

Stiles nodded, he may not know who this Scott was, but clearly he must be important to Derek if the concerned gleam in his eyes told Stiles anything.

Stiles tried not to feel jealous, after all, he was the one who Derek had asked to marry, and he killed a goddamn King and mega Werewolf for.

Not jealous.

Dammit.

With Derek’s super senses they were able to avoid any guards that wandered the halls, they were all on high alert, but clearly very fearful of the earlier howls.  
Stiles figured that they must have seen Derek before when he’d been wolfed out, and he didn’t blame them for chickening out. If he hadn’t known Derek and loved him he might have also been afraid of the man.

They walked quickly into a chamber on one of the lower floors, and Stiles’ stared into the room for a full minute before he began to crack up, laughing hysterically while clutching his lower stomach, this time his laughter was clear and joyous.

Allison was cuddling up real close to a man, who kind of resembled a puppy- what with his brown, floopy hair and his brown, watery eyes. The man was staring at Allison like he’d found the whole wide world and the stars contained into one person.

It was clearly love at first sight.

“Aww isn’t this cute.” Stiles cackled and continued to laugh as Allison, and who must have only been Scott, jumped apart in shocked embarrassment at being caught cuddling together.

Derek sighed loudly and leaned against the wall, continuing to huff in fond annoyance at Scott who at least had the decently to look abashed.

“Alpha.” Scott said pitifully, bowing his head low.

Derek just shook his head slowly, but a small glare from Stiles persuaded him to let it go. For now anyway. “Its fine, Peter’s dead and as you can see Stiles is here with us. I do have a quick question though…where are Isaac and Boyd?”

Scott’s face flushed and he stuttered a little as he answered. “Uh…I think Isaac ran off to fight someone. After we lost track of you in the hallways we ran smack into someone- one of the Argents I believe. Isaac recognized him and gave chase, Boyd and I ran after, but then I collided into these ladies and…oh my god I’m such an idiot.” Scott smacked his head. “Allow me to introduce you. Alpha Hale, I’d like you to meet Allison, she’s my mate.” He said proudly. ”Oh, and Allison this is my Alpha.” 

Everyone but Scott and Allison face palmed, Allison looked only slightly embarrassed by her beau, mostly though, her face shone with perfect adoration as she gazed at Scott with love.

Lydia finally spoke from a chair nearby. She had been entertained enough that she had kept quiet as Scott and Allison went all lovey dovey. But now that Stiles and Derek were there they could get down to business.

“Alright lovers, why don’t we take a break from all the sappiness and tell me exactly what’s going on, else wise I’m going to be very, very displeased. With all of you.”

Stiles’ quickly stopped laughing and gulped audibly while turning slowly around to face Lydia- Lydia who was staring at him with displeased eyes and a heavy frown.

Crap, double crap. Triple freaking crap!

“Lydia…uh-this is Derek!!” His arm came out fast and pushed Derek in front of him, like a shield.

Hey, if Derek could protect him from Peter then he could protect him from Lydia. Probably…maybe, at the very least it would take Lydia a few seconds to get passed Derek… enough time for Stiles to make a run for it.

Derek glared at him like he just knew what was going through Stiles’ mind before turning to the redhead who had transferred her stink eye to him. Derek just raised an unconcerned eyebrow.

“And you are?” Derek asked.

“I’m Lady Lydia, and you are the man who Stiles had been pining for as long as I’ve known him.” Lydia was looking Derek up and down, clearly judging him. Stiles let out a breath of relief as she nodded slightly, clearly she approved.

“Alright then!” Stiles called out swiftly, and got everyone’s attention. “Let’s do a quick summarization of what the fuck’s going on and then go grab Isaac and Boyd before hoofing it to parts unknown, really, really unknown.”

Derek nodded although he looked annoyed that he had to explain himself to anyone other then Stiles, judging by the looks he was giving everyone else. 

“Okay, short version. I’m a born werewolf, not a human. There aren’t any others left in this land thanks to Peter and the Argents, they were hunted down like animals, even the most peaceful families that had many human pack members were burned and cut down. Now with Peter dead, I’m the last one standing. I’m only now Alpha, while Scott, Isaac and Boyd are my betas, humans who were bitten, turning them into wolves. I’ve just murdered the King, not to save the land or the people but Stiles, before Peter had…disposed of me; he had told me of his plans to murder Stiles in order to start a war with the neighboring kingdom.”

Derek hesitated for a second more before admitting one last piece of the story. “Peter is…was my uncle.”

Stiles gasped, uncomprehending for a moment before exclaiming. “You’re a prince!? What the ever living-! Derek, this is something you could mention when you started to fucking court me, you know!”

Derek looked fiercely at him but there was shame in his eyes as he looked down. “I was going to tell you, but I wanted you to fall in love with me. I didn’t want there to be any false feelings between us because you knew I was an exiled prince or because I was werewolf. I wanted you to know me, just Derek.”

Stiles sighed heavily before pulling Derek into a quick kiss. He understood, he didn’t like it and he was kind of offended that Derek felt that he was that shallow, but he understood that irrational fear that could consume you.

“Idiot, moron, moon-touched stupid crack head.” Stiles mumbled against Derek’s lips. “As if I could love anything other then your grumpy, sour face. I love you and I don’t care if you are related to Peter- which, ew okay? –I don’t care if you a prince, I don’t care about riches or land or anything like that. I never did. I wanted to marry you even when I thought the only future we could ever have were to be pig farmers together. I would gladly sleep on the ground for the rest of my life under the stars as long as you are the person that is lying beside me.”

“Do you get what I’m trying to tell you, or do I have to draw you a diagram?” Stiles looked in Derek’s eyes, love and devotion shinning in them, making them shiny. Derek’s face started to stretch in a smile, his teeth gleaming white in the torchlight.

“Yea, I thought so.”

Derek leaned down for another kiss, lingering for a moment. It wasn’t a kiss of passion or need. It was a simple kiss. One that spoke of long love and comfort. “I love you too, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“That’s alright; we have the rest of our lives making it up to each other. Right?”

Derek nodded, “Right.”

Allison and Scott actually ‘awwed’ and even Lydia smiled at them. Well, it was more of a smirk, but you got the picture.

“Alright then.” Stiles announced, getting a bit chocked up but trying to move past the need to just break down and cry a little. “Let’s nab the rest of your little pack and beat tracks out of here. I know you’re a long lost prince and all, but maybe it’s best if we leave for now and come back later. If you want, after all, if Peter was your uncle then you are the rightful heir to the throne. Although, I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind never seeing this castle again.”

Derek nodded, understanding like always. Seriously, how did Stiles get so lucky? “Sounds good.”

 

\--

 

In reality things went a whole lot easier then Stiles could have hoped for.

It hadn’t been too hard to track down the other two lost betas, Isaac had Gerard Argent tied and tossed up like a squealing pig while Boyd smirked nearby, slowly sipping a large goblet of fine wine.

Isaac announced happily that his family was avenged and that Gerard was really a pussy and really, why had he wasted his life tracking down this idiot?

Stiles and the others chortled at the pleased look on his face. After that they quickly but stealthy made their escape and since no one had found Peter’s body yet, they only encountered a few guards that quickly pissed their pants and ran the other way when Derek wolfed out to glare at them.

Lydia, like Stiles predicted, stayed behind. She had a comfortable life and a husband that she loved, despite him being a total douche. She had no reason to run off with them even if they were her best friends. She informed them that she would keep the castle and the idiots that liked to think that they run the place in top shape,  
in case they ever decided to come back to claim the throne and kingdom as King and Consort.

They appreciated the thoughtfulness even if they were unsure that they would ever take her up on her offer, at least Lydia would have fun ruling the kingdom in their steed.

Derek had grown to love the open seas and even if he decided to leave off the title of pirate Stiles knew that traveling with his pack was what he truly wanted to do.  
They would settle down one day. Stiles knew this, after all they still needed to marry and Stiles wanted to have children one day but right now the only thing Stiles felt like doing was adventuring with his fiancé and new friends.

Allison was sad that she had to leave her family behind, but since most of them were psychos it wasn’t that much of a hard choice to make. Scott was everything she wanted in life and Stiles still got a kick out of finding that Derek’s second in command was the man that Allison had seen in the market. The world was such a large place and yet fate had brought them all together.

Isaac and Boyd both apologized to Stiles about the kidnapping once they were all safely away but Stiles waved away the apology and told them he was happy that they had done it and there was nothing to forgive because it had brought him and Derek back together. 

If they had never taken him then who knows what could have happened? He may have never gotten to see Derek again. He may have never known that the love of his life was alive, because he would have committed suicide the night before the wedding or something drastic like that.

So really, being kidnapped was the best damn thing to ever happen to him.

Well second, having met Derek in the first place was the best thing to happen to Stiles.

A month after their escape Derek and Stiles married and mated on a full moon night. Their wedding was held aboard Derek’s ship. A ship that no longer flew the Pirate Matt’s colors, instead the mass only had a small flag with the colors of red and purple and blue sown on it in a delicate pattern of a wolf’s head.

Sue him, Stiles was sentimental like that. It had taken him weeks to make the damn thing as a wedding present.

Finally, finally- Stiles was married to the man who had captured his heart wholeheartedly and who he had captured as well years ago.

They were together and nothing, not werewolves or Kings or magic could tear them apart.

The kraken they stumble upon a year later that kidnapped and almost killed Stiles, however, is another story to be told, at another time.

The End.


End file.
